Installing Git on OS X Leopard

It’s apparently best to install Git using both MacPorts and from source. That way you’ll get all the dependencies that are a pain in the ass to get set up, and you’ll also get the newest version of Git.

If you haven’t already, stick your Leopard disk in and install Xcode 3.0.

Install Git + Dependencies from MacPorts

Install the MacPorts “Leopard (Universal)” disk image from here.

If after the installation, running which port doesn’t show /opt/local/bin/port, try adding the following lines above any other path rules you have in your .bash_login file:

# MacPorts
export PATH=/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin:$PATH
export MANPATH=/opt/local/share/man:$MANPATH
# / MacPorts

Make sure MacPorts is up-to-date:

sudo port -v selfupdate

Install Git:

sudo port install git-core

Install Git from Source

Go to git.or.cz and download the newest package.

Stick the file where you want it (I prefer /usr/local/src/).

Open the file and cd into its folder. Then:

sudo make prefix=/usr/local all

(You won’t need the sudo on the last command unless you’ve got your source in /usr/local/src/, which is owned by root)

Then:

sudo make prefix=/usr/local install

If everything goes as planned, you should be able to type which git and see exactly this:

/usr/local/bin/git

If instead you see /opt/local/… you’re using the MacPorts version and you need to move those path rules above the other rules in your .bash_login.

Enjoy.

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Bonus: TextMate Integration

To use TextMate to edit your commit messages, put the following in your ~/.bash_login:

export GIT_EDITOR="mate -w"

Install the TextMate Bundle:

mkdir -p /Library/Application\ Support/TextMate/Bundles
cd !$
git clone git://gitorious.org/git-tmbundle/mainline.git Git.tmbundle
osascript -e 'tell app "TextMate" to reload bundles'

Since Git is installed in /usr/local/bin, you’ll need to make a link to where the bundle expects it:

sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/git /usr/bin/git

Sources:

• PeepCode
• MacPorts Guide
• TextMate Blog