sds/overcommit · error · Overcommit::Exceptions::GitConfigError

Unable to read from local repo git config: #{result.stderr}

Error message

Unable to read from local repo git config: #{result.stderr}

What it means

HookSigner#stored_signature reads the plugin signature with 'git config --local --get overcommit.<HookType>.<Hook>.signature'. Exit status 1 (key absent) is normal and returns an empty string, but any other non-zero exit raises GitConfigError with git's stderr - git could not read or parse the local config at all. This runs on every hook invocation because the runner compares stored and computed signatures.

Source

Thrown at lib/overcommit/hook_signer.rb:113

          hook_contents
        end

      Digest::SHA256.hexdigest(content_to_sign.to_s + hook_config.to_s)
    end

    def hook_contents
      File.read(hook_path)
    end

    def stored_signature
      result = Overcommit::Utils.execute(
        %w[git config --local --get] + [signature_config_key]
      )

      if result.status == 1 # Key doesn't exist
        return ''
      elsif result.status != 0
        raise Overcommit::Exceptions::GitConfigError,
              "Unable to read from local repo git config: #{result.stderr}"
      end

      result.stdout.chomp
    end

    def signature_config_key
      "overcommit.#{@context.hook_class_name}.#{@hook_name}.signature"
    end
  end
end

View on GitHub (pinned to fee0cd74b2)

Solutions

1. Reproduce with 'git config --local --list' - it names the offending line; fix or remove that line in .git/config
2. If the file is unfixable, re-create the essentials (remotes, user settings) and re-run 'overcommit --sign' to rewrite the signature keys
3. Verify you are inside the repo: 'git rev-parse --git-dir' must print a path; re-run hooks from the repo root
4. Re-run the hook or 'overcommit --sign <hook-type>' once the config parses again

Example fix

# before (.git/config contains)
[core]
    repositoryformatversion <<<<<<< HEAD

# after
[core]
    repositoryformatversion = 0

def git_config_parseable?
  system('git', 'config', '--local', '--list', out: File::NULL, err: File::NULL)
end

abort '.git/config is not parseable - fix it before running hooks' unless git_config_parseable?

begin
  runner.run
rescue Overcommit::Exceptions::GitConfigError => e
  warn "Cannot read git config: #{e.message}"
  warn 'Run: git config --local --list  # shows the offending line'
  exit 1
end

When it happens

Trigger: git exits non-zero (typically 128) with 'bad config line N in .git/config' (corrupted config or unresolved conflict markers), 'not in a git directory' when run outside a valid work tree, or permission errors reading .git/config.

Common situations: Hand-edited .git/config with a typo; merge/submodule trouble left conflict markers in .git/config; hooks invoked with GIT_DIR pointing at a broken path; CI checkouts where .git is mangled.

Related errors

• Unable to write to local repo git config: #{result.stderr}
• Hook specified a `required_executable` or `command` that is
• does not appear to be a git repository
• Hook '#{File.expand_path(hook_type)}' already exists and was
• Class #{hook_name} is not a subclass of #{hook_base_class}.

AI-assisted analysis of sds/overcommit@fee0cd74b2 (2026-08-23). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ae500e44e20b558a. Report an issue: GitHub.