gitbutlerapp/gitbutler · error · anyhow::Error

Not in a git repository. Use --global to install globally, o

Error message

Not in a git repository. Use --global to install globally, or run from within a repository.

What it means

`but skill install` without --global installs into the current git repository's root, which it obtains from a discovered Context. When no repository is found in or above the cwd, ctx is None and the command explains the two valid modes: run inside a repo, or pass --global.

Source

Thrown at crates/but/src/command/skill/mod.rs:416

        home_dir().map(|home| {
            if path_str == "~" {
                home
            } else {
                home.join(&path_str[2..])
            }
        })
    } else {
        None
    }
}

/// Get the base directory for installation (repo root or home directory)
fn get_base_dir(ctx: Option<&mut Context>, global: bool) -> Result<PathBuf> {
    if global {
        home_dir().ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("Could not determine home directory"))
    } else {
        let ctx = ctx.ok_or_else(|| {
            anyhow::anyhow!(
                "Not in a git repository. Use --global to install globally, or run from within a repository."
            )
        })?;
        let repo = ctx.repo.get()?;
        repo.workdir()
            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("Not in a Git repository"))
            .map(|p| p.to_path_buf())
    }
}

/// Replace version in SKILL.md content
fn inject_version(content: &str, version: &str) -> String {
    // Handle different line endings (Unix \n, Windows \r\n, or old Mac \r)
    let frontmatter_end = content
        .find("---\n\n")
        .or_else(|| content.find("---\r\n\r\n"))
        .or_else(|| content.find("---\r\r"));

View on GitHub (pinned to caf1f223d3)

Solutions

cd into the target git repository and rerun the command
Or pass --global to install into the home directory instead
In scripts, gate the call on `git rev-parse --git-dir` succeeding

Example fix

# before
~ $ but skill install my-skill          # not a repo -> error
# after
~ $ but skill install my-skill --global
# or
cd ~/src/myrepo && but skill install my-skill

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

match gix::discover(std::env::current_dir()?) {
    Ok(_) => { /* repo-local install is safe */ }
    Err(_) if !global => anyhow::bail!("run inside a git repository or pass --global"),
    Err(_) => {}
}

Prevention

Verify `git rev-parse --git-dir` succeeds before headless installs
Default to --global when the script's cwd is not guaranteed to be a repo

When it happens

Trigger: Running `but skill install <skill>` in a plain directory with no .git in it or any parent (home dir, /tmp, a fresh folder) without --global.

Common situations: Installing a skill from the home directory; CI steps that run before the repo checkout step; forgetting the --global flag.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of gitbutlerapp/gitbutler@caf1f223d3 (2026-08-20). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e086adc59077bbca. Report an issue: GitHub.