.git-completion.bash producing error on macOS Sierra 10.12.6

Question

I've followed the process for git-completion as per the description provided at https://medium.com/@farooqyousuf/autocomplete-git-commands-and-branch-names-in-terminal-on-mac-os-x-4e0beac0388a:

The first step is to execute this command in your terminal window, this is basically grabbing the ‘git-completion.bash’ script and putting it in your home directory.

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/git/git/master/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash -o ~/.git-completion.bash

Now add this line to your ‘~/.bash_profile’. This will allow the execution of the git autocomplete script if it present

if [ -f ~/.git-completion.bash ]; then
  . ~/.git-completion.bash
fi

You can now restart all your terminal windows or just refresh the terminal window you wish to use this script in. To refresh do:

source ~/.bash_profile

Following is the error I'm getting while hitting tab key after typing git:

unknown option: --list-cmds=list-mainporcelain,others,nohelpers,alias,list-complete,config
usage: git [--version] [--help] [-C <path>] [-c <name>=<value>]
  [--exec-path[=<path>]] [--html-path] [--man-path] [--info-path]
  [-p | --paginate | --no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
  [--git-dir=<path>] [--work-tree=<path>] [--namespace=<name>]
  <command> [<args>]

Answer 1

I ran into the exact same problem. After some digging, I finally figured out what the root problem is.

They made some major changes to the git-completion.bash script which requires a new feature in git v2.18, --list-cmds. The problem is that none of the package managers have updated to git v2.18 yet.

Most of the instructions out there say to download raw.githubusercontent.com/git/git/master/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash . But that is not necessarily the best option because sometimes you will be downloading a newer git-completion.bash than your version of git supports.

So the solution is to download the git-completion.bash version that matches your git version. Then source it again. In this case:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/git/git/v2.17.1/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash

Notice that it is referencing v2.17.1 instead of master. Later, when you install git v2.18, then you can switch back to master, or v2.18 tag.

Answer 2

Upgrading the git to the latest version is the simplest solution. https://git-scm.com/download/mac

After that make sure you follow the steps

1. curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/git/git/master/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash -o ~/.git-completion.bash

2. Add this small command into the .bash_profile file if [ -f ~/.git-completion.bash ]; then . ~/.git-completion.bash fi

Answer 3

Don't build it from source; instead install from MacPorts.

To install git with auto-completion, issue the following command:

 $ sudo port install git +bash_completion

close and reopen your Terminal and git completion should work

Answer 4

You should verify your git version and make sure it is updated to at least 1.8.

I had an older version 1.7.11 but that didn't work and got the same error you have.

Answer 5

If you use Homebrew, you may want to

1. upgrade git:

   brew upgrade git

2. source the installed git-completion.bash in your ~/.bash_profile:

   . /usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d/git-completion.bash

This makes sure the installed git and completion script versions match.