#2273: add Git as global tool

CHANGELOG.adoc

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ This file documents all notable changes to https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy[IDE
 
 Release with new features and bugfixes:
 
+* https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/2273[#2273]: Integrate Git as global tool
 
 The full list of changes for this release can be found in https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/milestone/52?closed=1[milestone 2026.11.001].
 

cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/commandlet/CommandletManagerImpl.java

@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.gcviewer.GcViewer;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.gemini.Gemini;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.gh.Gh;
+import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.git.Git;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.go.Go;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.graalvm.GraalVm;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.gradle.Gradle;
@@ -198,6 +199,7 @@ public CommandletManagerImpl(IdeContext context) {
     add(new CheckCommandlet(context));
     add(new Obsidian(context));
     add(new Gemini(context));
+    add(new Git(context));
   }
 
   /**

cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/context/AbstractIdeContext.java

@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.commandlet.CommandletManagerImpl;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.commandlet.ContextCommandlet;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.commandlet.EnvironmentCommandlet;
+import com.devonfw.tools.ide.commandlet.InstallCommandlet;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.commandlet.UpgradeCommandlet;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.commandlet.update.UpdateCommandlet;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.common.SystemPath;
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.ToolInstallation;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.custom.CustomToolRepository;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.custom.CustomToolRepositoryImpl;
+import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.git.Git;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.mvn.MvnRepository;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.npm.NpmRepository;
 import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.pip.PipRepository;
@@ -819,10 +821,11 @@ public UrlMetadata getUrls() {
 
     if (this.urlMetadata == null) {
       if (!isTest()) {
-        getGitContext().pullOrCloneAndResetIfNeeded(IDE_URLS_GIT, getUrlsPath(), null);
+        updateUrlsRepository();
       }
       this.urlMetadata = new UrlMetadata(this);
     }
+
     return this.urlMetadata;
   }
 
@@ -1461,20 +1464,24 @@ private ValidationResult applyAndRun(CliArguments arguments, AbstractCommandlet
           if (!(cmd instanceof UpgradeCommandlet)) {
             verifyIdeMinVersion(false);
           }
-          Path settingsRepository = getSettingsGitRepository();
-          if (settingsRepository != null) {
-            if (getGitContext().isRepositoryUpdateAvailable(settingsRepository, getSettingsCommitIdPath()) || (
-                getGitContext().fetchIfNeeded(settingsRepository) && getGitContext().isRepositoryUpdateAvailable(
-                    settingsRepository, getSettingsCommitIdPath()))) {
-
-              // Inform the user that an update is available. The update message is suppressed if we are already running the update
-              String msg = determineSettingsUpdateMessage(cmd);
-              if (msg != null) {
-                IdeLogLevel.INTERACTION.log(LOG, msg);
+
+          if (!isInstallingGit(cmd)) {
+            Path settingsRepository = getSettingsGitRepository();
+            if (settingsRepository != null) {
+              if (getGitContext().isRepositoryUpdateAvailable(settingsRepository, getSettingsCommitIdPath()) || (
+                  getGitContext().fetchIfNeeded(settingsRepository) && getGitContext().isRepositoryUpdateAvailable(
+                      settingsRepository, getSettingsCommitIdPath()))) {
+
+                // Inform the user that an update is available. The update message is suppressed if we are already running the update
+                String msg = determineSettingsUpdateMessage(cmd);
+                if (msg != null) {
+                  IdeLogLevel.INTERACTION.log(LOG, msg);
+                }
               }
             }
           }
         }
+
         boolean success = ensureLicenseAgreement(cmd);
         if (!success) {
           return ValidationResultValid.get();
@@ -1992,4 +1999,28 @@ public String getDefaultWindowsGitPath() {
     return DEFAULT_WINDOWS_GIT_PATH;
   }
 
+  private boolean isInstallingGit(AbstractCommandlet cmd) {
+
+    if (cmd instanceof InstallCommandlet installCommandlet) {
+      return installCommandlet.tool.getValue() instanceof Git;
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Updates the local {@code ide-urls} repository or, if Git is not available, falls back to the existing local metadata.
+   */
+  public void updateUrlsRepository() {
+
+    GitContext gitContext = getGitContext();
+
+    Path urlsPath = getUrlsPath();
+    if (gitContext.findGit() != null) {
+      gitContext.pullOrCloneAndResetIfNeeded(IDE_URLS_GIT, urlsPath, null);
+    } else if ((urlsPath != null) && Files.isDirectory(urlsPath)) {
+      LOG.debug("Git is not available. Using existing URL metadata without updating it.");
+    } else {
+      gitContext.findGitRequired();
+    }
+  }
 }

cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/git/GitContextImpl.java

@@ -347,9 +347,12 @@ public Path findGitRequired() {
 
     Path gitPath = findGit();
     if (gitPath == null) {
-      String message = "Git " + IdeContext.IS_NOT_INSTALLED_BUT_REQUIRED;
+      String message = "Git " + IdeContext.IS_NOT_INSTALLED_BUT_REQUIRED
+          + " Try running `ide install git` to install it.";
+
       if (SystemInfoImpl.INSTANCE.isWindows()) {
-        message += IdeContext.PLEASE_DOWNLOAD_AND_INSTALL_GIT + ":\n " + IdeContext.WINDOWS_GIT_DOWNLOAD_URL;
+        message += "\nAlternatively, " + IdeContext.PLEASE_DOWNLOAD_AND_INSTALL_GIT + ":\n "
+            + IdeContext.WINDOWS_GIT_DOWNLOAD_URL;
       }
       throw new CliException(message);
     }

cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/os/WindowsHelperImpl.java

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Locale;
 
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
@@ -144,16 +145,62 @@ private String findUninstallKey(String appName) {
       if (out == null) {
         continue;
       }
+
       for (String line : out) {
-        line = line.trim();
-        if (line.startsWith("HKEY_")) {
-          return line; // exact registry path (key) for tool
+        String key = getMatchingUninstallKey(line, appName);
+        if (key != null) {
+          return key;
         }
       }
     }
+
     return null;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Checks whether the given registry search result represents an uninstallation key whose display name matches the requested application.
+   *
+   * @param line the registry search result line to check.
+   * @param appName the application name to match.
+   * @return the matching uninstall registry key, or {@code null} if the line does not represent a matching application.
+   */
+  private String getMatchingUninstallKey(String line, String appName) {
+
+    String key = line.trim();
+    if (!key.startsWith("HKEY_")) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    List<String> values = runReg("query", key);
+    if (values == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    String displayName = retrieveRegString("DisplayName", values);
+    if (matchesAppName(displayName, appName)) {
+      return key;
+    }
+
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Checks whether a Windows application display name matches the requested application name.
+   *
+   * @param displayName the application's display name from the Windows registry.
+   * @param appName the application name to match.
+   * @return {@code true} if the names match, {@code false} otherwise.
+   */
+  private boolean matchesAppName(String displayName, String appName) {
+
+    if ((displayName == null) || (appName == null)) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    return displayName.equalsIgnoreCase(appName)
+        || displayName.toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT).startsWith(appName.toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT) + " ");
+  }
+
   /**
    * Executes a Windows registry command and returns its output.
    *

cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/GlobalToolCommandlet.java

@@ -144,8 +144,8 @@ protected boolean isExtract() {
   protected ToolInstallation doInstall(ToolInstallRequest request) {
 
     VersionIdentifier resolvedVersion = request.getRequested().getResolvedVersion();
-    if (this.context.getSystemInfo().isLinux()) {
-      // on Linux global tools are typically installed via the package manager of the OS
+    if (isPackageManagerBasedInstallation()) {
+      // global tools are typically installed via the package manager of the OS (e.g. apt on Linux, Homebrew on macOS)
       // if a global tool implements getNativePackages() to return at least one NativePackage, then we will install this way.
       List<PackageManagerCommand> commands = getInstallPackageManagerCommands(resolvedVersion);
       if (!commands.isEmpty()) {
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ protected ToolInstallation doInstall(ToolInstallRequest request) {
         fileAccess.extract(target, downloadBinaryPath);
         executable = fileAccess.findFirst(downloadBinaryPath, Files::isExecutable, false);
       }
-      pc = this.context.newProcess().errorHandling(ProcessErrorHandling.LOG_WARNING).executable(executable);
+      pc = this.context.newProcess().errorHandling(ProcessErrorHandling.LOG_WARNING).executable(executable).addArgs(getInstallerArguments());
       int exitCode = pc.run(ProcessMode.BACKGROUND_SILENT).getExitCode();
       if (tmpDir != null) {
         fileAccess.delete(tmpDir);
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ protected Path getMacApplicationsPath() {
   @Override
   protected VersionIdentifier resolveVersionForInstall(String edition, GenericVersionRange version) {
 
-    if (this.context.getSystemInfo().isLinux() && !getNativePackages().isEmpty()) {
+    if (isPackageManagerBasedInstallation() && !getNativePackages().isEmpty()) {
       if (version instanceof VersionIdentifier versionIdentifier && !versionIdentifier.isPattern()) {
         return versionIdentifier;
       }
@@ -286,6 +286,17 @@ protected List<NativePackage> getNativePackages() {
     return List.of();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @return {@code true} if this tool is installed via the OS native package manager (see {@link #getNativePackages()}), so that the install, version
+   *     resolution and installed-version detection flows of this class go through the package manager instead of the standard installer/artifact flow.
+   *     <p>
+   *     By default this is the case on Linux only, as that is where global tools are typically installed via the package manager of the OS. Subclasses may
+   *     override this to support the package manager on further operating systems.
+   */
+  protected boolean isPackageManagerBasedInstallation() {
+    return this.context.getSystemInfo().isLinux();
+  }
+
   /**
    * @return the {@link List} of {@link PackageManagerCommand}s to use on Linux to install this tool. If empty, no package manager installation will be
    *     triggered on Linux.
@@ -365,8 +376,8 @@ public Map<String, String> getWindowsRegistryAppNames() {
   @Override
   protected EditionAndVersion computeInstalledEditionAndVersion() {
 
-    if (this.context.getSystemInfo().isLinux()) {
-      // on Linux global tools are typically installed via the package manager of the OS
+    if (isPackageManagerBasedInstallation()) {
+      // global tools are typically installed via the package manager of the OS
       VersionIdentifier version = getNativePackageVersion();
       return (version != null) ? new EditionAndVersion(this.tool, version) : null;
     }
@@ -491,4 +502,8 @@ private Path findMacApplicationBundle() {
   public String getMacApplicationName() {
     return null;
   }
+
+  protected List<String> getInstallerArguments() {
+    return List.of();
+  }
 }

cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/git/Git.java

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+package com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.git;
+
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import com.devonfw.tools.ide.common.Tag;
+import com.devonfw.tools.ide.context.IdeContext;
+import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.GlobalToolCommandlet;
+import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.NativePackage;
+import com.devonfw.tools.ide.tool.NativePackageManager;
+
+/**
+ * {@link GlobalToolCommandlet} for <a href="https://git-scm.com/">Git</a>.
+ */
+public class Git extends GlobalToolCommandlet {
+
+  /**
+   * The constructor.
+   *
+   * @param context the {@link IdeContext}.
+   */
+  public Git(IdeContext context) {
+    super(context, "git", Set.of(Tag.GIT));
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  protected String getBinaryName() {
+    return "git";
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  protected List<NativePackage> getNativePackages() {
+    return List.of(
+        NativePackage.of(NativePackageManager.APT, "git"),
+        NativePackage.of(NativePackageManager.ZYPPER, "git"),
+        NativePackage.of(NativePackageManager.BREW, "git"));
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public String getWindowsRegistryAppName() {
+    return "Git";
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  protected List<String> getInstallerArguments() {
+    if (this.context.getSystemInfo().isWindows()) {
+      return List.of(
+          "/VERYSILENT",
+          "/NORESTART",
+          "/NOCANCEL",
+          "/SP-"
+      );
+    }
+    return List.of();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * On macOS Git is installed via Homebrew (see {@link #getNativePackages()}) rather than via the DMG installer artifact, so the package manager based
+   * installation flow is used there too - exactly like on Linux. On Windows the standard installer artifact is still used.
+   *
+   * @return {@code true} if Git is installed via the OS native package manager.
+   */
+  @Override
+  protected boolean isPackageManagerBasedInstallation() {
+    return this.context.getSystemInfo().isLinux() || this.context.getSystemInfo().isMac();
+  }
+}

cli/src/main/resources/nls/Help.properties

@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ cmd.get-version.opt.--configured=print only the configured version
 cmd.get-version.opt.--installed=print only the installed version
 cmd.gh=Tool commandlet for GitHub CLI.
 cmd.gh.detail=GitHub CLI (Command Line Interface) allows to interact with GitHub repositories, issues, and pull requests from the command line. Detailed documentation can be found at https://cli.github.com/manual/
+cmd.git=Tool commandlet for Git.
+cmd.git.detail=Git is a distributed version control system for tracking changes in source code. Detailed documentation can be found at https://git-scm.com/doc
 cmd.go=Tool commandlet for Go (programming language).
 cmd.go.detail=Go is an open-source programming language for building simple, reliable, and efficient software. Detailed documentation can be found at https://go.dev/doc/
 cmd.graalvm=Tool commandlet for GraalVm (Java with native-image).

cli/src/main/resources/nls/Help_de.properties

@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ cmd.get-version.opt.--configured=zeigt nur die konfigurierte Version
 cmd.get-version.opt.--installed=zeigt nur die installierte Version
 cmd.gh=Werkzeug Kommando für die Github Kommandoschnittstelle.
 cmd.gh.detail=GitHub CLI (Command Line Interface) ermöglicht die Interaktion mit GitHub-Repositories, Issues und Pull Requests über die Befehlszeile. Detaillierte Dokumentation ist zu finden unter https://cli.github.com/manual/
+cmd.git=Werkzeug-Kommando für Git.
+cmd.git.detail=Git ist ein verteiltes Versionsverwaltungssystem zum Nachverfolgen von Änderungen am Quellcode. Ausführliche Dokumentation ist unter https://git-scm.com/doc verfügbar.
 cmd.go=Werkzeug Kommando für Go (Programmiersprache).
 cmd.go.detail=Go ist eine Open-Source-Programmiersprache zum Erstellen einfacher, zuverlässiger und effizienter Software. Detaillierte Dokumentation ist zu finden unter https://go.dev/doc/
 cmd.graalvm=Werkzeug Kommando für GraalVm.