sds/overcommit · error · RuntimeError

Unable to access git index

Error message

Unable to access git index

What it means

Error "Unable to access git index" thrown in sds/overcommit.

Source

Thrown at lib/overcommit/hook/pre_commit/execute_permissions.rb:58

        )
      end.compact
    end

    private

    def extract_from_git_tree(file_modes)
      result = execute(%w[git ls-tree HEAD --], args: applicable_files)
      raise 'Unable to access git tree' unless result.success?

      result.stdout.split("\n").each do |line|
        mode, _type, _hash, file = line.split(/\s+/, 4)
        file_modes[file] = mode
      end
    end

    def extract_from_git_index(file_modes)
      result = execute(%w[git diff --raw --cached --no-color --], args: applicable_files)
      raise 'Unable to access git index' unless result.success?

      result.stdout.split("\n").each do |line|
        _old_mode, new_mode, _old_hash, _new_hash, _status, file = line.split(/\s+/, 6)
        file_modes[file] = new_mode
      end
    end

    # Check if the 1st bit is toggled, indicating execute permissions.
    #
    # Git tracks only execute permissions, not individual read/write/execute
    # permissions for user, group, and other, since that concept does not exist
    # on all operating systems. If any of the user/group/other permissions
    # have the executable bit set, they all will. Thus we check the first bit.
    def execute_permissions?(mode)
      (mode.to_i(8) & 1) == 1
    end
  end
end

View on GitHub (pinned to fee0cd74b2)

Solutions

1. Ensure the git index is readable (`.git/index` exists and is not locked); run `git status` to verify repository health.
2. Remove a stale `.git/index.lock` left by a crashed git process, then rerun the hook.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at lib/overcommit/hook/pre_commit/execute_permissions.rb:58 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of sds/overcommit@fee0cd74b2 (2026-08-23). Data as JSON: /api/errors/5bd6e6c807fa41f8. Report an issue: GitHub.