Git Errors Explained

12 errors, each with the code that makes it, the exact output and the fix.

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Git: fatal: not a git repositoryfatal: not a git repository (or any of the parent directories): .git
Git: Author identity unknownAuthor identity unknown *** Please tell me who you are.
Git: failed to push some refserror: failed to push some refs to 'origin'
Git: CONFLICT (content): Merge conflictCONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in f.txt
Git: refusing to merge unrelated historiesfatal: refusing to merge unrelated histories
Git: local changes would be overwrittenerror: Your local changes to the following files would be overwritten by checkout:
Git: pathspec did not match any fileserror: pathspec 'feature-login' did not match any file(s) known to git
Git: remote origin already existserror: remote origin already exists.
Git: src refspec main does not match anyerror: src refspec main does not match any
Git: current branch has no upstream branchfatal: The current branch feature has no upstream branch.
Git: You are in 'detached HEAD' stateYou are in 'detached HEAD' state.
Git: Need to specify how to reconcile divergent branchesfatal: Need to specify how to reconcile divergent branches.

Git messages are long and look alarming, but most of them say one simple thing and print the command that fixes it. The pages below show a short sequence of commands that makes the message, the exact text Git printed on Git 2.56.0.windows.4, and the commands that fix it. The examples use throw-away repositories, so you can repeat them safely in a practice folder.

If you see a message that is not here, copy its first line into the box on the home page.

This is an independent guide. It is not connected with Python, Microsoft, Google, GitHub or the Git project. Product names belong to their owners. Examples were run on 13 November 2026 in a practice folder or a blank workbook; your version may word a message slightly differently.