Git - How to use .netrc file on Windows to save user and password
authentication, git, windows
Solution
Is it possible to use a `.netrc` file on Windows?
Yes: You must:
- define environment variable `%HOME%` (pre-Git 2.0, no longer needed with Git 2.0+)
- put a `_netrc` file in `%HOME%`
If you are using Windows 7/10, in a `CMD` session, type:
setx HOME %USERPROFILE%
and the `%HOME%` will be set to '`C:\Users\"username"`'. Go that that folder (`cd %HOME%`) and make a file called '`_netrc`'
Note: Again, for Windows, you need a '`_netrc`' file, not a '`.netrc`' file.
Its content is quite standard (Replace the `<examples>` with your values):
machine <hostname1>
login <login1>
password <password1>
machine <hostname2>
login <login2>
password <password2>
Luke mentions in the comments:
Using the latest version of msysgit on Windows 7, I did not need to set the `HOME` environment variable. The `_netrc` file alone did the trick.
This is indeed what I mentioned in "Trying to “`install`” github, `.ssh` dir not there": `git-cmd.bat` included in msysgit does set the `%HOME%` environment variable:
@if not exist "%HOME%" @set HOME=%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%
@if not exist "%HOME%" @set HOME=%USERPROFILE%
爱国者 believes in the comments that "it seems that it won't work for http protocol"
However, I answered that `netrc` is used by `curl`, and works for HTTP protocol, as shown in this example (look for '`netrc`' in the page): . Also used with HTTP protocol here: "`_netrc`/`.netrc` alternative to `cURL`".
A common trap with with `netrc` support on Windows is that git will bypass using it if an origin https url specifies a user name.
For example, if your `.git/config` file contains:
[remote "origin"]
fetch = +refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*
url = https://bob@code.google.com/p/my-project/
Git will not resolve your credentials via `_netrc`, to fix this remove your username, like so:
[remote "origin"]
fetch = +refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*
url = https://code.google.com/p/my-project/
Alternative solution: With git version 1.7.9+ (January 2012): This answer from Mark Longair details the credential cache mechanism which also allows you to not store your password in plain text as shown below.
With Git 1.8.3 (April 2013):
You now can use an encrypted .netrc (with `gpg`). On Windows: `%HOME%/_netrc` (`_`, not '`.`')
A new read-only credential helper (in `contrib/`) to interact with the `.netrc/.authinfo` files has been added.
That script would allow you to use gpg-encrypted netrc files, avoiding the issue of having your credentials stored in a plain text file.
Files with the `.gpg` extension will be decrypted by GPG before parsing. Multiple `-f` arguments are OK. They are processed in order, and the first matching entry found is returned via the credential helper protocol.
When no `-f` option is given, `.authinfo.gpg`, `.netrc.gpg`, `.authinfo`, and `.netrc` files in your home directory are used in this order.
To enable this credential helper:
git config credential.helper '$shortname -f AUTHFILE1 -f AUTHFILE2'
(Note that Git will prepend "`git-credential-`" to the helper name and look for it in the path.)
# and if you want lots of debugging info:
git config credential.helper '$shortname -f AUTHFILE -d'
#or to see the files opened and data found:
git config credential.helper '$shortname -f AUTHFILE -v'
See a full example at "Is there a way to skip password typing when using `https:// github`"
With Git 2.18+ (June 2018), you now can customize the GPG program used to decrypt the encrypted `.netrc` file.
See commit 786ef50, commit f07eeed (12 May 2018) by Luis Marsano (``). (Merged by Junio C Hamano -- `gitster` -- in commit 017b7c5, 30 May 2018)
`git-credential-netrc`: accept `gpg` option
`git-credential-netrc` was hardcoded to decrypt with '`gpg`' regardless of the gpg.program option. This is a problem on distributions like Debian that call modern GnuPG something else, like '`gpg2`'
Problem
Is it possible to use a .netrc file on Windows when I'm using Git to clone a remote repository with HTTP and user - password?