go-task/task · error

failed to clone repository: %w

Error message

failed to clone repository: %w

What it means

getOrCloneRepo clones a remote git Taskfile via getter.Client.Get(). On any clone failure (auth, network, bad URL, missing repo), the cache directory is removed and the getter error is wrapped with this message.

Source

Thrown at taskfile/node_git.go:155

	}

	// Only check context if we need to clone (requires network)
	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
		return "", fmt.Errorf("context cancelled while waiting for repository lock: %w", err)
	}

	getterURL := node.buildURL()

	client := &getter.Client{
		Ctx:  ctx,
		Src:  getterURL,
		Dst:  cacheDir,
		Mode: getter.ClientModeDir,
	}

	if err := client.Get(); err != nil {
		_ = os.RemoveAll(cacheDir)
		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to clone repository: %w", err)
	}

	return cacheDir, nil
}

func (node *GitNode) ReadContext(ctx context.Context) ([]byte, error) {
	// Get or clone the repository into cache
	repoDir, err := node.getOrCloneRepo(ctx)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, err
	}

	// Build path to Taskfile in the cached repo
	// If node.path is empty, search in repo root; otherwise search in the specified path
	// fsext.SearchPath handles both files and directories (searching for DefaultTaskfiles)
	searchPath := repoDir
	if node.path != "" {
		searchPath = filepath.Join(repoDir, node.path)

View on GitHub (pinned to 385e5ad92a)

Solutions

1. Verify the include URL is correct and the repo/branch exists (git clone <url> manually)
2. Set up credentials: SSH keys for git@ URLs or a token for private HTTPS repos
3. Check network/proxy/VPN connectivity to the git host
4. Inspect the wrapped cause for the underlying git/getter error; retry after fixing

Example fix

# before (includes in Taskfile)
includes:
  - ops: https://git.example.com/team/ops-taskfile.git@main
# after (corrected URL / existing ref)
includes:
  - ops: https://git.example.com/team/taskfiles.git@main

u, err := url.Parse(includeURL)
if err != nil {
    return err
}
conn, err := net.DialTimeout("tcp", net.JoinHostPort(u.Host, "443"), 5*time.Second)
if err != nil {
    return fmt.Errorf("cannot reach git host %s: %w", u.Host, err)
}
conn.Close()

func isReachableGitURL(raw string) bool {
    u, err := url.Parse(raw)
    if err != nil || u.Host == "" {
        return false
    }
    c, err := net.DialTimeout("tcp", u.Host+":443", 3*time.Second)
    if err != nil {
        return false
    }
    c.Close()
    return true
}

data, err := node.ReadContext(ctx)
if err != nil {
    if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "failed to clone repository") {
        // check credentials/network, maybe retry with backoff
    }
    return err
}

When it happens

Trigger: ReadContext -> getOrCloneRepo: client.Get() returns an error while cloning the repository into cacheDir — unreachable host, private repo without credentials, nonexistent ref/repo, or TLS problems.

Common situations: Cloning a private Taskfile repo without SSH keys or tokens; typo in the include URL; corporate proxy/firewall blocking git over HTTPS; referencing a branch or tag that does not exist.

Related errors

• context cancelled while waiting for repository lock: %w
• checking remote file: %w

AI-assisted analysis of go-task/task@385e5ad92a (2026-09-05). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ba14d92464914388. Report an issue: GitHub.