Why can't Git Bash run my executable?

Question

I am on git-for-windows Git Bash. I can't run an executable on the command line:

Pedr@Abc-07 MINGW64 /c/dev
$ ls sqlite3.exe
sqlite3.exe*

Pedr@Abc-07 MINGW64 /c/dev
$ sqlite3
bash: sqlite3: command not found

Why is it so?

score 172 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:02

172

To run a program in the current directory in bash, you put ./ in front of it. So in your case:

$ ./sqlite3.exe

When you run sqlite3, bash will look for a program with exactly that name in all directories of the PATH environment variable, which by default includes standard locations for executables like /usr/local/bin but not your current directory. See here for more info on that.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:02

Community

1
1

answered Apr 22 '15 at 17:46

Nattgew

1,869
2
13
16

1

Thanks. I was used to being able to do so from msysgit Git bash. – user182917 Apr 22 '15 at 18:07
Can't believe I didn't figure this one out myself. Something I am pretty dumb. Thank you. – Andy Apr 25 '16 at 08:32
Also works for the bash in the Windows Subsystem for Linux – NoName Oct 24 '18 at 03:34

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 22 '15 at 17:52

It's because you're under a is a runtime environment for gcc, that give you support to binaries native under Windows, but you can run any exe as shell using ./ (local execute) Take a look to documentation of this tool: http://sourceforge.net/p/mingw-w64/wiki2/FAQ/

epp · Answer 3 · 2020-09-17T11:10:46.753

1

Your PATH is missing ./. Add it to your .profile file in the home directory (/c/Users/username):

$ cd
$ pwd
/c/Users/username
$ echo 'PATH=$PATH:./' >> .profile

Restart bash session and voilà! Now echo $PATH should output :./ as the last item. Note that you definitely need to add it as the last item for security (e.g. against malicious ls.exe).

edited Sep 17 '20 at 11:10

answered Sep 17 '20 at 11:03

epp

161
2
8

Why can't Git Bash run my executable?

3 Answers3

Linked