Git Path Issues After Installing GitHub for Windows

GitHub for Windows

You may have noticed that git commands are not available at the command line after installing GitHub for Windows; and that it’s not immediately apparent where Git’s executable (git.exe) can be found.

On Windows, Git’s executable is actually located in:

C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\GitHub\PortableGit_<guid>\bin\git.exe

Once you’ve located the location of the executable, you’ll have to add it to Windows’ environment variables; namely the Path variable which lists the directories that Windows automatically searches for .exe (and other executable) binaries.

This can be done as follows:

• 

  Screenshot

  Click on the Start Button

• Right click Computer or My Computer (this name will vary depending on your version of Windows)
• Click on Advanced System Settings
• Click on Environment Variables
• Then under System Variables look for the Path variable and click Edit…
• Append Git’s bin and cmd folder locations to the end of the string. You should be appending something like this:

   ;C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\GitHub\PortableGit_<guid>\cmd;C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\GitHub\PortableGit_<guid>\bin

  NB: Be careful with syntax;  in particular the use of semi-colons to separate folder location within the Path string.