Offer to initialise a repository when adding a simple directory as project

Co-authored-by: Byron <[email protected]>

Author: Copilot

apps/desktop/src/lib/error/knownErrors.ts

@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ export enum Code {
 	ProjectMissing = 'errors.projects.missing',
 	SecretKeychainNotFound = 'errors.secret.keychain_notfound',
 	MissingLoginKeychain = 'errors.secret.missing_login_keychain',
-	GitHubTokenExpired = 'errors.github.expired_token'
+	GitHubTokenExpired = 'errors.github.expired_token',
+	NonGitRepository = 'errors.projects.not_git_repository'
 }
 
 export const KNOWN_ERRORS: Record<string, string> = {
@@ -34,5 +35,8 @@ With \`seahorse\` or equivalent, create a \`Login\` password store, right click
 	`,
 	[Code.GitHubTokenExpired]: `
 Your GitHub token appears expired, please check your settings!
+	`,
+	[Code.NonGitRepository]: `
+The selected directory is not a Git repository. Would you like to initialize a Git repository in this directory?
 	`
 };

apps/desktop/src/lib/project/projectsService.ts

@@ -137,6 +137,10 @@ export class ProjectsService {
 	unsetLastOpenedProject() {
 		this.persistedId.set(undefined);
 	}
+
+	async initGitRepository(path: string): Promise<void> {
+		return await this.backend.invoke('init_git_repository', { path });
+	}
 }
 
 function injectEndpoints(api: ClientState['backendApi']) {

apps/desktop/src/routes/[projectId]/+layout.svelte

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 	import ReduxResult from '$components/ReduxResult.svelte';
 	import { OnboardingEvent, POSTHOG_WRAPPER } from '$lib/analytics/posthog';
 	import { BACKEND } from '$lib/backend';
+import { getUserErrorCode, Code } from '$lib/backend/ipc';
 	import { BASE_BRANCH_SERVICE } from '$lib/baseBranch/baseBranchService.svelte';
 	import { BRANCH_SERVICE } from '$lib/branches/branchService.svelte';
 	import { SETTINGS_SERVICE } from '$lib/config/appSettingsV2';
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@
 	import { GITLAB_STATE } from '$lib/forge/gitlab/gitlabState.svelte';
 	import { GIT_SERVICE } from '$lib/git/gitService';
 	import { MODE_SERVICE } from '$lib/mode/modeService';
-	import { showError, showInfo, showWarning } from '$lib/notifications/toasts';
+	import { showError, showInfo, showWarning, showToast } from '$lib/notifications/toasts';
 	import { PROJECTS_SERVICE } from '$lib/project/projectsService';
 	import { FILE_SELECTION_MANAGER } from '$lib/selection/fileSelectionManager.svelte';
 	import { UNCOMMITTED_SERVICE } from '$lib/selection/uncommittedService.svelte';
@@ -320,7 +321,44 @@
 			}
 		} catch (error: unknown) {
 			posthog.captureOnboarding(OnboardingEvent.SetProjectActiveFailed);
-			showError('Failed to set the project active', error);
+			
+			// Check if this is a non-git repository error
+			const errorCode = getUserErrorCode(error);
+			if (errorCode === Code.NonGitRepository) {
+				// Show special toast with git init option
+				showToast({
+					title: 'Not a Git repository',
+					message: 'The selected directory is not a Git repository. Would you like to initialize one?',
+					style: 'warning',
+					extraAction: {
+						label: 'Initialize Repository',
+						onClick: async (dismiss) => {
+							try {
+								const currentProject = projects?.find((p) => p.id === projectId);
+								if (currentProject?.path) {
+									await projectsService.initGitRepository(currentProject.path);
+									dismiss();
+									showToast({
+										title: 'Repository Initialized',
+										message: `Git repository has been successfully initialized at ${currentProject.path}. Loading project...`,
+										style: 'info'
+									});
+									// Retry setting the project active
+									await setActiveProjectOrRedirect(projectId);
+								} else {
+									throw new Error('Could not find project path');
+								}
+							} catch (initError) {
+								console.error('Failed to initialize repository:', initError);
+								dismiss();
+								showError('Failed to initialize repository', initError);
+							}
+						}
+					}
+				});
+			} else {
+				showError('Failed to set the project active', error);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 

crates/gitbutler-error/src/error.rs

@@ -139,6 +139,10 @@ pub enum Code {
     SecretKeychainNotFound,
     MissingLoginKeychain,
     GitForcePushProtection,
+    /// When trying to open a project that is not in a git repository,
+    /// this error code is used to trigger special handling in the frontend.
+    /// The frontend will show a modal offering to initialize a git repository.
+    NonGitRepository,
 }
 
 impl std::fmt::Display for Code {
@@ -157,6 +161,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for Code {
             Code::SecretKeychainNotFound => "errors.secret.keychain_notfound",
             Code::MissingLoginKeychain => "errors.secret.missing_login_keychain",
             Code::GitForcePushProtection => "errors.git.force_push_protection",
+            Code::NonGitRepository => "errors.projects.not_git_repository",
         };
         f.write_str(code)
     }

crates/gitbutler-tauri/src/main.rs

@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ fn main() {
                     projects::list_projects,
                     projects::set_project_active,
                     projects::open_project_in_window,
+                    projects::init_git_repository,
                     repo::git_get_local_config,
                     repo::git_set_local_config,
                     repo::check_signing_settings,

crates/gitbutler-tauri/src/projects.rs

@@ -69,6 +69,14 @@ pub fn set_project_active(
             let err = anyhow::Error::from(err);
             if code == git2::ErrorCode::Owner {
                 err.context(gitbutler_error::error::Code::RepoOwnership)
+            } else if code == git2::ErrorCode::NotFound || 
+                      code == git2::ErrorCode::Invalid ||
+                      code == git2::ErrorCode::Config {
+                // Common error codes when a directory is not a git repository:
+                // - NotFound: .git directory or repository not found
+                // - Invalid: Invalid repository structure
+                // - Config: Repository configuration issues
+                err.context(gitbutler_error::error::Code::NonGitRepository)
             } else {
                 err
             }
@@ -212,3 +220,38 @@ Ensure these aren't touched by GitButler or avoid using it in this repository.",
     }
     Ok(Some(msg))
 }
+
+/// Initialize a Git repository at the given path
+#[tauri::command]
+#[instrument(err(Debug))]
+pub fn init_git_repository(path: String) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    let repo_path = std::path::Path::new(&path);
+    
+    // Validate path
+    if !repo_path.exists() {
+        return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Path does not exist: {}", path).into());
+    }
+    if !repo_path.is_dir() {
+        return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Path is not a directory: {}", path).into());
+    }
+    
+    // Check if it's already a git repository
+    if git2::Repository::open(repo_path).is_ok() {
+        return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Directory is already a Git repository").into());
+    }
+    
+    // Check if directory is writable
+    let temp_file = repo_path.join(".gitbutler_write_test");
+    if let Err(_) = std::fs::write(&temp_file, "test") {
+        return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Directory is not writable: {}", path).into());
+    }
+    // Clean up test file
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&temp_file);
+    
+    // Initialize the repository
+    git2::Repository::init(repo_path)
+        .with_context(|| format!("Failed to initialize Git repository at {}", path))?;
+    
+    tracing::info!("Successfully initialized Git repository at {}", path);
+    Ok(())
+}