How to Check If Git Credential Manager Is Installed

Introduction: When working with Git, managing your credentials efficiently is crucial for maintaining secure and smooth version control workflows. Git Credential Manager (GCM) is a tool that simplifies handling credentials for Git operations, but before you can use it, you need to ensure it's installed correctly. This guide provides a comprehensive approach to verifying if Git Credential Manager is installed on your system, with step-by-step instructions for various operating systems.
1. Check Git Credential Manager on Windows
1.1. Open Command Prompt: To begin, open Command Prompt by pressing Win + R, typing cmd, and hitting Enter.
1.2. Verify Installation: Type git-credential-manager --version and press Enter. If GCM is installed, you will see the version number. If not, you'll receive an error message.
1.3. Check via Git Configuration: Open Git Bash and type git config --global credential.helper. If the output includes manager or manager-core, GCM is installed.
1.4. Alternative Method: You can also check installed programs in Windows Settings. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps and search for Git Credential Manager.

2. Check Git Credential Manager on macOS
2.1. Open Terminal: Open the Terminal application by searching for it in Spotlight or navigating through Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
2.2. Verify Installation: In Terminal, type git-credential-manager --version and press Enter. If installed, you will see the version number.
2.3. Check via Git Configuration: Type git config --global credential.helper in Terminal. If the output includes manager or manager-core, GCM is installed.
2.4. Using Homebrew: If you installed Git using Homebrew, you can check if GCM is installed by running brew list | grep git-credential-manager. If you see git-credential-manager, it is installed.

3. Check Git Credential Manager on Linux
3.1. Open Terminal: Open a terminal window by searching for it in your applications menu or using the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T.
3.2. Verify Installation: Type git-credential-manager --version and press Enter. If GCM is installed, it will display the version number.
3.3. Check via Git Configuration: Run git config --global credential.helper in Terminal. If the output shows manager or manager-core, GCM is installed.
3.4. Installation via Package Manager: On some distributions, you can use a package manager to check for installation. For example, on Debian-based systems, you can run dpkg -l | grep git-credential-manager.

4. Troubleshooting
4.1. Command Not Found: If you receive a 'command not found' error, it indicates that Git Credential Manager is not installed or not in your system's PATH. Follow the installation instructions specific to your operating system to install GCM.
4.2. Incorrect Output: If the output from git config --global credential.helper does not include manager or manager-core, GCM might not be configured correctly. Ensure that you have configured it properly in your Git settings.
4.3. Reinstallation: If you encounter issues or need to update, consider reinstalling Git Credential Manager. Follow the official installation guide for your operating system to ensure proper setup.

5. Conclusion: Checking if Git Credential Manager is installed involves verifying the version, checking Git configuration, and using system-specific methods. By following these steps, you can ensure that GCM is properly installed and configured, enabling a seamless and secure Git experience.