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@kerhac kerhac commented Oct 9, 2025

This will update the mac downloads page replacing Xcode with Xcode Command Line Tools which is smaller in installation size compared to full Xcode and can be installed via command line. It also re adds mentioning the binary installer to reduce confusion, a lot of locations on the internet and print are point to this page indicating there is a binary installer.

kerhac added 2 commits October 9, 2025 15:41
Apples Xcode Command Line Tools provides git without the full Xcode IDE.
It can also easily be installed via `xcode-select --install`.
In commit 54175ad the binary installer
was removed since it's no longer maintained. Now there are still a lot
of references to that page mentioning the binary installer, for example
Pro Git book[0] or Stack Overflow[1]. To reduce confusion this re adds
the binary installer indicating that it is no longer maintained.

[0]: https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git
[1]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/70764034

<h3>Binary installer</h3>
<p>Tim Harper provided an installer for Git until version 2.33.0 / 2021. This
project was archived in favor of Xcode Command Line Tools.</p>
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This project was archived in favor of Xcode Command Line Tools.

I don't think that was quite the consensus of #1774, so I am loathe to accept that explanation as-is.

The conversation in that ticket concluded with no definitive decision as to which binary package to recommend, but XCode was suggested as a replacement only by @timcharper.

However, it is frustratingly hard (and apparently impossible) to say for sure which Git version XCode's Command Line Tools include. The release notes certainly keep everyone in the dark!

Therefore, I do not want to merge this as-is. I want a more nuanced description here. It should at least mention that most developers opt to use Homebrew. It looks as if even GitHub Actions' hosted macOS runners ship a different Git version than XCode's (this update down-grades Git while leaving the XCode Command Line Tools unchanged, suggesting that the former is not included in the latter).

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2 participants