Git is a free and open source distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency.
Git for Windows focuses on offering a lightweight, native set of tools that bring the full feature set of the Git SCM to Windows while providing appropriate user interfaces for experienced Git users and novices alike.
Publisher’s description
What is Git?
Git by The Git Development Community is open-source Windows software in the version control category. It ranks 2nd by popularity among version control in this catalogue. It is written in Inno Setup.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (Inno Setup) installers for 64-bit and ARM64 Windows. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 2.56.0.2, released on October 5, 2026. The version history goes back to March 30, 2021: 77 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 14 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 20,078,259 times. The source code on GitHub (git-for-windows/build-extra) has 677 stars. On Windows it registers 4 file types, including .sh, .gitattributes, .gitignore and .gitmodules. Similar programs include GitHub CLI, Git Extensions and jj.
Project description on GitHub: “Additional files and scripts to help build Git for Windows on MSYS2.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Frequent updates (about 14 a year)
- Large user base
Cons
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Git is an open-source version control tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Git safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
52188F917B378F00C70EC136BCF090005F30D44FBC4EBA0BCE759CC6592D60F6· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the git-for-windows/build-extra repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Licence declared9
- Code review1
- Restricted token permissions0
- No binaries in the repository0
- Pinned dependencies0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Fuzzing0
- Security policy0
- Signed releases0
- Branch protection0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 77 versions ›77 versions over 6 years · about 14 a year
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Git.Git -echoco install git -yscoop install main/gitGit-2.56.0.2-64-bit.exe /SP- /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTARTProgram files (.exe): git.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- The Git Development Community
- Category
- Version control
- Licence
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/git-for-windows/build-extra
- Written in
- Inno Setup
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- EXE (Inno Setup)
- Version
- 2.56.0.2
- Released
- October 5, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 77
- Updates / year
- 14
- Chocolatey downloads
- 20,078,259
- GitHub stars
- 677
- GitHub forks
- 657
- Website
- gitforwindows.org
- winget ID
- Git.Git
- Chocolatey package
- git
- Scoop package
- main/git
File types it opens (4)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Git
See all ›-
Open source1.1M ↓ -
Git Extensions7.2.1.7Git Extensions is a standalone UI tool for managing git repositories. It also integrates with Windows Explorer and Microsoft Visual Studio (2015/2017/2019).Open source439.1K ↓ -
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Open source1.1M ↓ -
Mercurial7.1.2Mercurial is a free, distributed source control management tool. It efficiently handles projects of any size and offers an easy and intuitive interface.Open source280.5K ↓ -
Open source1.1M ↓ -
TortoiseSVN1.14.9.29743TortoiseSVN is a really easy to use Revision control/version control/source control software for Windows. It is based on Apache™ Subversion (SVN)®; TortoiseSVN provides a nice and easy user interface for Subversion.Open source757.7K ↓ -
Open source9.9K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is Git free?
Yes. Git is open-source software under the GPL-2.0 licence.
Is Git safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Git with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Git be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Git run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Git?
The versions page lists all 77 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
Can I use Git without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to Git?
GitHub CLI, Git Extensions, jj, TortoiseGit and Mercurial. The alternatives page compares them.
