How to close git commit editor?

Question

I just executed a command $ git commit and it opens a new editor. But I'm trying to close that new commit editor. How to do this? I'm using Git for Windows.

not a complete answer, but one way to avoid the editor is to use the "-m" option. E.g. after $ git add , then do $ git commit -m "my changes; I'm avoiding the editor!" — Quetzalcoatl, Feb 24 '20 at 04:41
@KorayTugay: it's a good question but i don't know. generally, i would discourage long commit messages (e.g. with new lines) and encourage one sentence messages. brief and crisp commit messages tend to be more insightful here — Quetzalcoatl, Jul 26 '21 at 20:47
@Koray Tugay after first double quotation marks, you press Enter and commit command does not end — lam vu Nguyen, Jan 01 '23 at 03:44

score 396 · Accepted Answer · edited May 13 '18 at 19:10

396

Save the file in the editor. If it's Emacs: CTRLX CTRLS to save then CTRLX CTRLC to quit or if it's vi: :wq

Press esc first to get out from editing. (in windows/vi)

edited May 13 '18 at 19:10

reverie_ss

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answered Nov 05 '12 at 19:57

tpg2114

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The user needs to close the editor in addition to saving the file, so for Emacs it's actually `Ctrl-X Ctrl-C`. – user4815162342 Nov 06 '12 at 05:43
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Updated... I knew that, but like most emacs commands, they're so ingrained in me that I forget what they are... I just do them. – tpg2114 Nov 06 '12 at 12:41
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If you use emacsclient, you can close it with `C-x #` – azzamsa Aug 10 '18 at 13:01
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thanks, on windows bash it is not clear that you must 1: exit and 2: save the changes – Juan Monsalve Nov 25 '19 at 15:15
Is this insert mode something I can disable on my windows machine? – Rez.Net Mar 15 '20 at 00:48
On my window, I am surprised `Ctrlx-x` command is enough to abort commit. – Niyongabo Eric Sep 08 '20 at 04:11
what is emacs? The OP asks for windows... just ESC does not help, the answer is incomprehensible, don't know why it was marked as answer – serge Apr 19 '21 at 07:55
On Mac, the default editor is Vim, so press ESC first, then type :wq + ENTER – Lime莉茉 Sep 30 '21 at 17:47
For Mac, see: https://stackoverflow.com/a/60973107/8565438 – zabop May 13 '22 at 19:30
Will not work for Windows Git Bash, which is the recommended way to use Git on Windows. – its.me.adam Mar 03 '23 at 23:31

score 315 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 21 '19 at 15:45

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Had troubles as well. On Linux I used Ctrl+X (and Y to confirm) and then I was back on the shell ready to pull/push.

On Windows GIT Bash Ctrl+X would do nothing and found out it works quite like vi/vim. Press i to enter inline insert mode. Type the description at the very top, press esc to exit insert mode, then type :x! (now the cursor is at the bottom) and hit enter to save and exit.

If typing :q! instead, will exit the editor without saving (and commit will be aborted)

edited Apr 21 '19 at 15:45

Muhammad Omer Aslam

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answered Feb 05 '15 at 11:59

Marc Compte

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this is the answer for me for windows – lode Mar 13 '16 at 21:48
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esc :x! - This isn't just undiscoverable its as if someone was playing hide and seek with functionality. – Tristan Jan 15 '19 at 17:09
Work perfectly on windows Git Bash, this is the answer for me. – tiagorockman Oct 07 '21 at 14:34
For Mac, see: https://stackoverflow.com/a/60973107/8565438. – zabop May 13 '22 at 19:38

score 104 · Answer 3 · edited Nov 08 '17 at 06:46

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After writing commit message, just press Esc Button and then write :wq or :wq! and then Enter to close the unix file.

edited Nov 08 '17 at 06:46

Pang

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answered Nov 08 '17 at 06:05

chandan gupta

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this solution is the one that work on Git Gui bash for window – ocrampico Jan 11 '18 at 10:17
! This reminded me of the University days, when we did some Unix vi editing things, after a long wrote some **`:wq`** commands – Irf Oct 03 '18 at 11:48
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`:x` is a shortcut for `:wq` in Vim. – rnevius Dec 17 '18 at 04:18

score 29 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 05 '15 at 12:06

Better yet, configure the editor to something you are comfortable with (gedit as an example):

git config --global core.editor "gedit"

You can read the current configuration like this:

git config core.editor

You can also add the commit message from the command line.

git commit -m "blablabla"

and the editor will not be opened in the first place.

score 23 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 26 '19 at 18:16

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After git commit command, you entered to the editor, so first hit i then start typing. After committing your message hit Ctrl + c then :wq

answered Apr 26 '19 at 18:16

Mohammad Hashemi

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You should edit your commit message. Then follow above. Solution works for windows. – Shihab Uddin Aug 09 '21 at 12:19

A_Mo · Answer 6 · 2022-02-16T08:53:01.740

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In Mac, Press shift+Z shift+Z (capital Z twice).

edited Feb 16 '22 at 08:53

answered Apr 01 '20 at 14:21

A_Mo

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score 5 · Answer 7 · answered Feb 02 '19 at 15:09

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Alternatives to Nano (might make your life easier):

On Windows, use notepad. In command prompt type:

git config core.editor notepad

On Ubuntu / Linux, use text editor (gedit). In terminal window type:

git config core.editor gedit

answered Feb 02 '19 at 15:09

ggootz

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score 5 · Answer 8 · answered Dec 08 '20 at 18:11

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You Just clicking the key.

first press ESC + enter and then press :x + enter

answered Dec 08 '20 at 18:11

Bereket Zere Keleta

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score 2 · Answer 9 · edited Jan 13 '20 at 11:04

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I had this problem I received a ">" like prompt and I couldn't commit. I replace the " in the comment with ' and it works.

I hope this help someone!

edited Jan 13 '20 at 11:04

Jochen Holzer

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answered Mar 22 '18 at 22:10

Mariano Cali

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Aha! I had gotten stuck with this ">" prompt too. From reading your comment I figured out that since I had used an apostrophe in a contraction in my comment, the terminal was waiting for me to close out the quote! Finally I'm free! – Kevin Scharnhorst Jan 29 '20 at 18:42

score 1 · Answer 10 · answered Jun 15 '15 at 09:04

As an alternative to 'save & quit', you can use git-commit's function git-commit-commit, by default bound to C-c C-c. It will save the file and close it. Afterwards, you still have to close emacs with C-x C-c, as mentioned before. I am currently trying to find out how to make emacs quit automatically.

score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Feb 03 '19 at 17:54

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Not sure the key combination that gets you there to the > prompt but it is not a bash prompt that I know. I usually get it by accident. Ctrl+C (or D) gets me back to the $ prompt.

answered Feb 03 '19 at 17:54

dubfactor

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score 0 · Answer 12 · answered May 14 '19 at 01:29

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Note that if you're using Sublime as your commit editor, you need the -n -w flags, otherwise git keeps thinking your commit message is empty and aborting.

answered May 14 '19 at 01:29

Siddhartha

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score 0 · Answer 13 · edited Nov 12 '21 at 08:42

I encountered the similar issue just in case this helps you.

When you hit the command git commit --amend. It opens a default editor. Now, the question was how to close this. I have just resolved this so here it is if it helps:

press Ctrl + X

Press Y to select Yes

Press Ctrl + M + A (This command saves the commit message you are editing and brings you out of editor)

Try git log command to verify your changes

score 0 · Answer 14 · answered Jun 09 '23 at 07:55

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Somehow my terminal on Mac opens Joe editor when git commit. I had to press Ctrl + K H to get to the help, this informed me to press Ctrl + K + X to exit.

answered Jun 09 '23 at 07:55

nesaboz

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How to close git commit editor?

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