Question

When I use the git on windows, I noticed that the title of the command window is MINGW32:xxx, I once install the full version of MINGW on my windows, but it didn’t contain some git stuff. So whats the relationship between git and mingw, and what mingw actually is? I know that mingw is a collection of unix tools of windows version, but why didn’t it include the git. Or is the mingw some sort of environment that support the gcc and git?

Answer 1

Answer

mingw is a incomplete *nix environment for Windows.

Git is a version control system that really works best with a *nix environment. It was created by Linus Torvalds, so he really could care less about it working with Windows, and Windows is a 3rd class citizen in the Git ecosystem for sure.

Relationship

The only thing they have in relation is mingw is used to compile Git because it has the gcc compiler in it, and that is what is used on all the *nix systems that it works the best with. Git has to be installed just like any other stand alone application would have to be.
It just tends to be included in major Linux distributions because it is what is used to control the Linux source code itself.

Workflow Suggestions for Git on Windows

The best Windows git system is msysgit it is the one that is pre-packaged together, and works well if you select the correct check boxes when you install it.

That said, when saddled with a Windows workstation at a job, I install VirtualBox, then my preferred Linux distribution and share my Windows working directories with VirtualBox. Then I use git on my Linux and my Windows specific tools on Windows. Better than the other half-half solutions by far.