TortoiseGit for Mac: is there one, and what to use instead

No, there is no TortoiseGit for Mac, and there cannot easily be one. It runs only inside Explorer on Windows, and it has no Linux version either. On a Mac, you use a standalone Git client instead. Our pick, with an obvious bias, is GitTree: one universal app for Apple silicon and Intel, with every Git feature on the Free plan.

GitTree’s maker wrote this post, so weigh our recommendation accordingly. Claims about other products come from their official pages, listed in the sources below, and from our TortoiseGit comparison.

Why is TortoiseGit only on Windows?

TortoiseGit’s own pages describe it as a Windows shell interface to Git, based on TortoiseSVN. It adds a context menu and overlay icons to Explorer, and installers for Windows are all it ships. It has no Linux version either. The project’s work is tied to Explorer, so there is no window of its own that could move to another system.

What changes when you move from TortoiseGit to a Mac?

What is the best TortoiseGit alternative on Mac?

The full round-up, with pros and cons, is in the best Git client for Mac.

How do I move my repositories to a Mac?

Push everything from your old PC, then clone it on the Mac. A copied .git folder also works, but cloning is cleaner. Check two settings afterwards, because they do not move with the repository:

# keep LF line endings in the repository on macOS
git config --global core.autocrlf input

# set your identity on the new machine
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"

Any credentials saved on your old PC stay there, so sign in again on the Mac, or add an SSH key. If you work with others, the Git for commercial use guide covers licence rules for each client.