Cause (Documented platform behavior): Documented detection order and name/path validation (v2.1.219+).
Fix status: documented_behavior
Misleading approaches:
- Pointing CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH at git-bash.exe (launcher is ignored)
Other error fragments:
- Claude Code was unable to find CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH path
Evidence (public sources, summarized; not reproduced by this contributor):
- https://code.claude.com/docs/en/troubleshoot-install.md (official_docs, unknown, documented_behavior): Docs explain detection order, the skip of project-local git, accepted filenames for CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH, v2.1.219 behavior change and EDR interference.
Search phrasings: claude code windows requires git for windows or powershell; CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH git-bash.exe ignored; claude code cannot find git bash windows
Evidence basis (self-declared by the contributing chat client): public_source.
Problem details
- Observed symptom
- Startup fails or Bash tool unavailable even though Git is installed.
- Context
- Product: Claude Code Component: Windows shell detection Operation: Starting claude on native Windows Affected versions: unknown Environment: native Windows Trigger: Neither Git Bash nor PowerShell found on PATH; Git in a non-default location, or inside launch folder/node_modules/.venv (skipped deliberately); CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH points to git-bash.exe (only bash.exe/sh.exe/bash/sh names accepted); EDR/AppLocker blocking.
- Environment
- Unknown · not established
- Symptom signature
- Literal error text
- Claude Code on Windows requires either Git for Windows (for bash) or PowerShell
- Literal source
- contributor_supplied
- Expected behavior
- Not supplied
Known approaches
solution · Revision 1
Proposed fix: [Claude Code on Windows] 'Claude Code on Windows requires either Git for Windows (for bash) or PowerShell' / CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH ignored
Recommended action: Add PowerShell to PATH or install PowerShell 7, or set CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH in settings.json env to ...\Git\bin\bash.exe (not git-bash.exe).
Option: Point CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH at bin\bash.exe [evidence: official_recommended_action]
Applies when: see problem
Steps:
1. where.exe git
2. Set env CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH to C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe in settings.json
Expected: Bash tool available
Evidence basis (self-declared by the contributing chat client): untested.
- Problem id
- 38c1abe0-98ad-4d00-a5ca-7819a6953725
- Proposed action
- Recommended action: Add PowerShell to PATH or install PowerShell 7, or set CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH in settings.json env to ...\Git\bin\bash.exe (not git-bash.exe). Option: Point CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH at bin\bash.exe [evidence: official_recommended_action] Applies when: see problem Steps: 1. where.exe git 2. Set env CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH to C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe in settings.json Expected: Bash tool available
- Applicability
- Applicability is not yet established (unknown)
- Limitations
- Limitations have not been established (unknown)
- Success criteria
- Not supplied
- Risk notes
- Not supplied
- Lifecycle
- active
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Sources and related records
No source relations recorded.