[PATCH v3] setup: fail if .git is not a file or directory
- From
Tian Yuchen <a3205153416@gmail.com>
- Date
- Feb 14, 2026, 04:52 UTC
- Message-ID
- <20260214045247.118013-1-a3205153416@gmail.com>
- In-Reply-To
- <20260212172405.48614-1-a3205153416@gmail.com>
Currently, `setup_git_directory_gently_1()` checks if `.git` is a regular file (handling submodules/worktrees) or a directory. If it is neither (e.g., a FIFO), the code hits a NEEDSWORK comment and simply ignores the entity, continuing the discovery process in the parent directory.
Failing instead of ignoring here makes it easier for the users to notice anomalies and take action, particularly if this non-file non-directory entity was created by mistake or by file system corruption.
However, strictly enforcing 'lstat()' and 'S_ISREG()' breaks valid workflows where '.git' is a symlink pointing to a real git directory (e.g. created via 'ln -s'). To ensure safety and correctness:
1. Differentiate between "missing file" and "is a directory". This removes the long standing NEEDSWORK comment in 'read_gitfile_gently()'.
2. Explicitly check 'st_mode' after 'stat()'. If the path resolves to a directory, return 'READ_GITFILE_ERR_IS_A_DIR' so the caller can try to handle it as a directory.
3. If the path exists but is neither a regular file nor a directory, return 'READ_GITFILE_ERR_NOT_A_FILE'.
Update 'setup_git_directory_gently_1()' to aborts setup immeditaely upon encountering a malicous '.git' file.
Signed-off-by: Tian Yuchen <a3205153416@gmail.com> ---
I have verified this with a test script covering: 1. Normal .git file 2. .git as a symlink to a directory 3. .git as a FIFO 4. .git as a symlink to a FIFO 5. .git with garbage content
setup.c | 39 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---------- setup.h | 3 +++ 2 files changed, 32 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)
diff --git a/setup.c b/setup.c index 3a6a048620..8681a8a9d1 100644 --- a/setup.c +++ b/setup.c @@ -911,6 +911,10 @@ void read_gitfile_error_die(int error_code, const char *path, const char *dir) die(_("no path in gitfile: %s"), path); case READ_GITFILE_ERR_NOT_A_REPO: die(_("not a git repository: %s"), dir); + case READ_GITFILE_ERR_STAT_ENOENT: + die(_("Not a git repository: %s"), path); + case READ_GITFILE_ERR_IS_A_DIR: + die(_("Not a git file (is a directory): %s"), path); default: BUG("unknown error code"); } @@ -939,8 +943,14 @@ const char *read_gitfile_gently(const char *path, int *return_error_code) static struct strbuf realpath = STRBUF_INIT; if (stat(path, &st)) { - /* NEEDSWORK: discern between ENOENT vs other errors */ - error_code = READ_GITFILE_ERR_STAT_FAILED; + if (errno == ENOENT) + error_code = READ_GITFILE_ERR_STAT_ENOENT; + else + error_code = READ_GITFILE_ERR_STAT_FAILED; + goto cleanup_return; + } + if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) { + error_code = READ_GITFILE_ERR_IS_A_DIR; goto cleanup_return; } if (!S_ISREG(st.st_mode)) { @@ -994,7 +1004,9 @@ const char *read_gitfile_gently(const char *path, int *return_error_code) cleanup_return: if (return_error_code) *return_error_code = error_code; - else if (error_code) + else if (error_code && + error_code != READ_GITFILE_ERR_STAT_ENOENT && + error_code != READ_GITFILE_ERR_IS_A_DIR) read_gitfile_error_die(error_code, path, dir); free(buf); @@ -1576,18 +1588,25 @@ static enum discovery_result setup_git_directory_gently_1(struct strbuf *dir, if (offset > min_offset) strbuf_addch(dir, '/'); strbuf_addstr(dir, DEFAULT_GIT_DIR_ENVIRONMENT); - gitdirenv = read_gitfile_gently(dir->buf, die_on_error ? - NULL : &error_code); + gitdirenv = read_gitfile_gently(dir->buf, &error_code); if (!gitdirenv) { - if (die_on_error || - error_code == READ_GITFILE_ERR_NOT_A_FILE) { - /* NEEDSWORK: fail if .git is not file nor dir */ + if (error_code == READ_GITFILE_ERR_STAT_ENOENT || + error_code == READ_GITFILE_ERR_IS_A_DIR) { if (is_git_directory(dir->buf)) { gitdirenv = DEFAULT_GIT_DIR_ENVIRONMENT; gitdir_path = xstrdup(dir->buf); } - } else if (error_code != READ_GITFILE_ERR_STAT_FAILED) - return GIT_DIR_INVALID_GITFILE; + } else if (error_code == READ_GITFILE_ERR_NOT_A_FILE) { + if (die_on_error) + die(_("Invalid %s: not a regular file or directory"), dir->buf); + else + return GIT_DIR_INVALID_GITFILE; + } else if (error_code != READ_GITFILE_ERR_STAT_FAILED) { + if (die_on_error) + read_gitfile_error_die(error_code, dir->buf, NULL); + else + return GIT_DIR_INVALID_GITFILE; + } } else gitfile = xstrdup(dir->buf); /* diff --git a/setup.h b/setup.h index d55dcc6608..0271cc8f93 100644 --- a/setup.h +++ b/setup.h @@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ int is_nonbare_repository_dir(struct strbuf *path); #define READ_GITFILE_ERR_NO_PATH 6 #define READ_GITFILE_ERR_NOT_A_REPO 7 #define READ_GITFILE_ERR_TOO_LARGE 8 +#define READ_GITFILE_ERR_STAT_ENOENT 9 +#define READ_GITFILE_ERR_IS_A_DIR 10 + void read_gitfile_error_die(int error_code, const char *path, const char *dir); const char *read_gitfile_gently(const char *path, int *return_error_code); #define read_gitfile(path) read_gitfile_gently((path), NULL)
-- 2.43.0