Install gitk on Mac

Question

How can I install gitk on a Mac?

From their official website, it seems gitk comes with Git, but the version of my Git (git version 1.7.12.4 (Apple Git-37)) does not come with gitk.

brew install gitk does not work for gitk.

Version information (copied from comments):

OS X v10.8.2 (12C2034) (Mountain Lion)
Xcode version 4.6 (4H127)

what version of osx are you using? On 10.8.4 I have `git version 1.8.2.1 (Apple Git-45)` which includes `gitk` — foundry, Jul 10 '13 at 23:35
I installed XCode Version `4.6 (4H127)` and Mac Version `OS X 10.8.2 (12C2034)` — Mingyu, Jul 10 '13 at 23:42
There's roughly a bajillion Git tools that work on OS X, why do you need `gitk` specifically? Also, `gitk` is included with Homebrew git. — millimoose, Jul 10 '13 at 23:47
Thanks @millimoose! Could you please recommend a couple similar tools? — Mingyu, Jul 10 '13 at 23:50
Thanks for everyone's comments, and I installed SourceTree, which seems to be a great git client on Mac. — Mingyu, Jul 11 '13 at 00:44
http://git-scm.com/download/mac download this and install for gitk on macos — Daniel Bo, Oct 10 '14 at 12:52
If you installed SourceTree ... it comes with it's own packed-in copy of `git` - and it's a build that has `gitk` in it, so you can create an alias for it and just use it. — Adrian, Oct 16 '18 at 10:49
And here's where to find SourceTree's version of git which includes `gitk` as @Adrian mentioned: https://confluence.atlassian.com/sourcetreekb/using-embedded-git-or-system-git-in-sourcetree-785323587.html (see "SourceTree file path for Embedded Git") — Sam, Feb 24 '20 at 14:39

score 464 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 18 '22 at 15:45

464

Correct, the 1.7.12.4 (Apple Git-37) does not come with gitk. You can install a more recent version of Git + git-ui as a separate formula by using Homebrew (executable brew). More thorough instructions are located on The fastest and easiest way to install Ruby on a Mac in 2022 (see this commit extracting git-gui/gitk into its own formula: git-gui: split from git formula.)

Run the following commands at the terminal:

brew update
brew install git
brew install git-gui

If you get an error indicating it could not link Git, then you may need to change permissions/owners of the files it mentions.

Once completed, run:

type -a git

And make sure it shows:

/usr/local/bin/git

If it does not, run:

brew doctor

And make the path change to put /usr/local/bin earlier in the path. Now, gitk should be on your path (along with an updated version of Git).

edited Apr 18 '22 at 15:45

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jul 23 '13 at 15:48

Jenna Pederson

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I installed git 1.8.3.4 to use brew. But gitk has Bug. If you check out branch and type `gitk --all`, unstaged local branch is visible. After you type git status, unstaged local branch is unvisible. Does anyone experience it? – pebble8888 Aug 07 '13 at 00:42
9

I did all the update described above, but the version of git didn't change - I must have already had the most recent version. BUT now I suddenly have gitk! hurray – Kuba Jul 04 '14 at 09:03
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Yep same with @Kuba I mysteriously now have gitk! – relipse Dec 09 '16 at 18:57
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It might be necessary to restart the terminal session. – veksen Feb 23 '17 at 13:02
@giovannipds what was the problem? – volvox Jul 19 '18 at 09:14
@volvox path was not changing to `/usr/local/bin`, the latest git was installed but not being used and I didn't know to do that manually. I followed what @Leo explained here https://stackoverflow.com/a/18496039/842768 and installing Git again it has installed where it needed. – giovannipds Jul 22 '18 at 02:32
What if it's `/usr/bin/git`? – mrgloom Oct 07 '19 at 14:46
Even more recent versions of git that comes with MacOS Mojave does not come with gitk: `git version 2.20.1 (Apple Git-117)`. `brew install git` will install gitk. – wisbucky Nov 15 '19 at 18:25
The even more recent formula for `git` has extracted the UI tools and moved them into its own formula: `brew install git-gui` – Blacklight Jan 28 '20 at 13:54
Since I already had git installed, there was an error when creating the links on my initial install. I ran `brew link --overwrite git-gui` to force it to use the new one and everything works great now. – Michiel Bugher Jan 04 '21 at 20:35
And on Mac M1: arch -arm64 brew install git-gui instead of brew install git-gui – Chris Neve Jun 21 '21 at 13:56
works for me as of july 2023 – Phil Jul 31 '23 at 18:02

score 45 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 19 '22 at 03:22

45

The Git Mac version comes without gitk, but if you do brew install git you get instant access to gitk.

I'm using macOS v10.12.5 (Sierra).

But this stopped working. You must install brew install git-gui

edited Apr 19 '22 at 03:22

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jun 21 '17 at 15:48

Lionel M

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What versions of Git? Working and not working. – Peter Mortensen Apr 19 '22 at 03:22

score 28 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 18 '22 at 16:13

28

I just had the same problem and solved it as follows:

Download the official Git package for Mac from http://git-scm.com/download/mac
Install the package. This places all the binaries in folder /usr/local/git/bin.
Optionally, run the included script to make gitk accessible outside of terminals
Either add /usr/local/git/bin to your PATH or use an alias (alias gitk='/usr/local/git/bin/gitk')

edited Apr 18 '22 at 16:13

Peter Mortensen

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answered Aug 28 '13 at 18:55

Leo

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in ~/.bash_profile file. Add : export PATH=/usr/local/bin:$PATH or /usr/local/git/bin path. – Jinbom Heo Mar 27 '15 at 03:55

score 27 · Answer 4 · edited Apr 19 '22 at 03:25

27

As of macOS v10.15.6 (Catalina), I run:

brew install git
brew install git-gui

And it worked for me.

edited Apr 19 '22 at 03:25

Peter Mortensen

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answered Oct 21 '20 at 21:04

Andre Ravazzi

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FTU of MAC. thanks for the brew. its worth installation I guess. – Santosh Dec 22 '21 at 12:02
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"FTU" may be a (double) typo of [FYI](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/FYI#Phrase). – Peter Mortensen Apr 19 '22 at 03:27
brew is like pip to Linux for Mac. – Hong Sep 26 '22 at 14:26
Its called git-gui and not gitk part of the official git docs: https://git-scm.com/download/mac – GuySoft Aug 27 '23 at 09:07

score 24 · Answer 5 · edited Apr 18 '22 at 16:15

24

If you already have Git installed via Homebrew, you can just do upgrade:

type -a git
brew upgrade git
type -a git

Output

/usr/bin/git
/usr/local/bin/git

The one at local/bin will have gitk.

edited Apr 18 '22 at 16:15

Peter Mortensen

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answered Aug 02 '14 at 01:29

aris

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This should be the accepted answer. Also, if you have been using the system git that comes with Mac OS X, the sequence to do a new install of git via homebrew would instead be: `brew install git && which git` which (no pun intended!) should give you the output `/usr/local/bin/git` ... Note: I would also *highly* recommend updating and doctoring first, as in: `brew update ; brew doctor && brew install git && which git` -or- `brew update ; brew doctor && brew upgrade git && which git` instead... to get the expected `/usr/local/bin/git` output (from the `which` command). – likethesky Sep 10 '14 at 20:54
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@giovannipds - do ***brew install git*** .you probably have older version of Git. – yantaq Aug 20 '18 at 19:56

score 17 · Answer 6 · edited Feb 25 '23 at 04:55

17

I had the same issue. I installed GitX instead.

You can install GitX from here:

https://gitx.github.io/

Download the package and install it. After that, open gitk from spotlight search, go to the top left corner. Click on GitX and enable the terminal usage.

Go to your repository and simply type:

gitx --all

It will open the GUI.

Readme
User manual (Note: This is outdated. Some UI may not look the same.)

edited Feb 25 '23 at 04:55

ADTC

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answered Mar 31 '15 at 09:46

Abhi

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*"GitX, a long-defunct GUI for the Git version-control system"*. Is that right? – Peter Mortensen Apr 18 '22 at 16:37
Can also be installed via brew: `brew install --cask gitx`. – 0xZ3RR0 Jun 26 '23 at 23:23
Only GUI tool which worked for me for a large repo (tens of thousands of commits). – 0xZ3RR0 Jun 26 '23 at 23:25

score 9 · Answer 7 · edited Apr 18 '22 at 17:00

There are two ways to fix this:

The Unix way (simple and recommended)
The Homebrew way

1. Unix Way: In four simple steps

Execute which git in the terminal to know the location of your git executable. Open that directory & locate gitk inside the bin folder. Copy the path --- typically /usr/local/git/bin
Edit your ~/.bash_profile file to add the location of local git & gitk in the paths or, simply copy-paste from the sample written below.

Sample bash_profile:

# Enabling gitk
export PATH=/usr/local/git/bin:$PATH

If you don't have a bash_profile file and want to learn how to create one, then click here.

This step is relevant if you're using OS X v10.11 (El Capitan) or higher, and you run into an unknown color name “lime” error. Locate gitk executable (typically at /usr/local/bin/gitk), take a backup & open it in a text editor. Find all occurrences of lime in the file & replace them with "#99FF00".
Reload Bash: source ~/.bash_profile

Now, run gitk

2. Homebrew way

Updates - If you do not have homebrew on your Mac, get it installed first. It may require sudo privileges.

brew update
brew doctor
brew link git
added /usr/local/Cellar/git/2.4.0/bin to path, reload Bash, and run gitk
No luck yet? Proceed further.
Run which git and observe if Git is still linked to /usr/bin/git
If yes, then open the directory and locate the was a binary executable.
Take its backup. It may be save with a name git.bak and delete the original file
Reload the terminal - source ~/.bash_profile

brew should NOT need sudo privileges. The brew installation procedure itself needs sudo, but it then opens permissions on /usr/local so that after that you wont need sudo. If you need sudo, either you're choosing that you want brew to only work with sudo (totally understandable decision), or you've missed a step in the installation procedure. — Hugh Perkins, May 21 '20 at 12:56
Yes, I'm aware of that. TBH `gitk` not working is a really annoying problem & failing to launch it because they forgot to `sudo` at some random step is the last thing I'd wished anyone reading this ever faced. I wrote it to play it safe (tho, sudo isn't). — DDM, Jul 13 '20 at 21:11

score 4 · Answer 8 · edited Apr 19 '22 at 03:23

4

You can also get gitk with the git from MacPorts.

sudo port install git

edited Apr 19 '22 at 03:23

Peter Mortensen

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answered Oct 13 '17 at 13:29

chrish

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A now-deleted "answer" warns against using sudo. Why is it necessary? – Peter Mortensen Apr 19 '22 at 03:31

score 4 · Answer 9 · edited Apr 19 '22 at 03:24

4

For macOS v10.14 (Mojave) users, I found this page very useful, particularly this suggestion:

/usr/bin/wish $(which gitk)

...without that, the window did not display correctly!

edited Apr 19 '22 at 03:24

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jan 13 '20 at 22:51

Stuart Berg

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score 2 · Answer 10 · edited Apr 07 '22 at 00:40

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I ended up doing brew info git.

Which gave me info that Git was cloned into: /usr/local/Cellar/git/1.9.0

So I just added: /usr/local/Cellar/git/1.9.0/bin to the beginning of my PATH environment variable.

Note: I don't know how to use Homebrew... I just want to get going quickly as I have other things to do... this basically gets gitk running for me, so I'm sticking to it for now (it is probably not the way to work with Homebrew though).

edited Apr 07 '22 at 00:40

Peter Mortensen

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answered Mar 16 '14 at 00:35

justin

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`brew info git` and then adding the path it is in to PATH in ~/.profile worked for me (y) – Yo Ludke Mar 20 '18 at 09:48

score 2 · Answer 11 · edited Apr 19 '22 at 03:19

2

If you happen to already have Fink installed, this worked for me on OS X v10.10.5 (Yosemite):

fink install git

Note that as a side effect, other Git commands are also using the newer Git version (2.5.1) installed by Fink, rather than the version from Apple (2.3.2), which is still there, but preempted by my $PATH.

edited Apr 19 '22 at 03:19

Peter Mortensen

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answered Sep 07 '15 at 14:15

twm

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score 1 · Answer 12 · answered Dec 01 '22 at 22:19

1

MacOS Ventura (13.0.1) - brew install git-gui worked for me.

answered Dec 01 '22 at 22:19

ivan.ukr

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score 0 · Answer 13 · edited Apr 07 '22 at 00:37

First you need to check which version of Git you are running. The one installed with Homebrew should be running on /usr/local/bin/git. You can verify this from a terminal using:

which git

In case Git shows up on a different directory, you need to run this from a terminal to add it to your path:

echo export PATH='/usr/local/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bash_profile

After that, you can close and open again your terminal or just run:

source ~/.bash_profile

And voilà! In case you are running on OS X v10.9 (Mavericks) you might need to install XQuartz.

score 0 · Answer 14 · edited Apr 18 '22 at 16:17

I had the same problem on Mac 10.7.5 with Git version 1.7.12.4.

When I ran gitk, I got an error:

"Error in startup script: expected version number but got "Git-37)" while executing
"package vcompare $git_version "1.6.6.2""
invoked from within
"if {[package vcompare $git_version "1.6.6.2"] >= 0} {
set show_notes "--show-notes"
}"
(file "/usr/bin/gitk" line 11587)

When I looked at the code in gitk I saw the line that sets the version.

set git_version [join [lrange [split [lindex [exec git version] end] .] 0 2] .]

This somehow parsed the git version results to Git-37 instead of 1.7.12.4

I just replaced the git_version line with:

set git_version "1.7.12.4"

score 0 · Answer 15 · edited Apr 07 '22 at 00:47

If, like me, you have Sourcetree installed, but want to use gitk as well, you can use the version that comes with Sourcetree's embedded version of Git.

Sourcetree's version of Git (and thus gitk) is here:

For Windows:

C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Atlassian\SourceTree\git_local\bin\git.exe

or

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Atlassian\SourceTree\git_local\bin

For Mac:

/Applications/SourceTree.app/Contents/Resources/git_local/bin

In that directory, you'll find a gitk executable.

Thanks to @Adrian for the comment which alerted me to this.

Install gitk on Mac

15 Answers15

Output

Linked