Which git.exe should I refer to?

Question

Git for Windows has four git.exe files git.exe .

They seem a bit different (comparing bytes).

What should I use for other applications that need a link to git.exe?

• \Program Files\Git\bin\git.exe
• \Program Files\Git\cmd\git.exe
• \Program Files\Git\mingw64\bin\git.exe
• \Program Files\Git\mingw64\libexec\git-core\git.exe

Answer 1

Different version is for different purposes.

• \Program Files\Git\bin\git.exe
  This is the actual git binary that is added to your path if you run it in script form, etc.

  This entry is found here in the git script source for windows:
  https://github.com/git-for-windows/build-extra/blob/69c134c3c2c46bce1083d5bd4596d26543ca5f0f/portable/release.sh

• \Program Files\Git\cmd\git.exe
  This is git, which starts when added and adds git to your cmd (window path)

  This entry can be found here in the source: <File Id="GitExe" Source="cmd\\git.exe" /> https://github.com/git-for-windows/build-extra/blob/69c134c3c2c46bce1083d5bd4596d26543ca5f0f/msi /release.sh

• \Program Files\Git\mingw64\bin\git.exe
  This is the version of git - bash that is used by the git emulator - bash cygwin

  It is defined here in wxs (installer file)
  https://github.com/git-for-windows/build-extra/blob/69c134c3c2c46bce1083d5bd4596d26543ca5f0f/msi/GitProduct.wxs

   <?if $(var.SixtyFourBit)=64 ?> <Directory Id='MingwFolder' Name='mingw64' /> <?else?> 

• \Program Files\Git\mingw64\libexec\git-core\git.exe
  This is also for the emulator and is defined here:
  https://github.com/git-for-windows/build-extra/blob/69c134c3c2c46bce1083d5bd4596d26543ca5f0f/git-extra/git-prompt.sh

  if test -z "$WINELOADERNOEXEC" then GIT_EXEC_PATH="$(git --exec-path 2>/dev/null)" COMPLETION_PATH="${GIT_EXEC_PATH%/libexec/git-core}" ...

Answer 2

When you use the Windows command prompt, you should reference \Program Files\Git\bin\git.exe

Those under mingw64 are used with the Git bash interface.