How to create git hooks in Windows with Node.js?

Question

I have been following this guide on how to use Node.js to script git hooks. However, the guide is using a Unix based system whilst I am running on a Windows machine.

I have also found this guide on running git hooks on a Windows machine, but it is not using Node.js

I am running a pre-install script in my package.json file to set a custom git hooks location.
I am using VSCode as my editor and would like the git hooks to run when I use the UI for commits etc. However I am using command line initially to try and get the hooks to fire.

package.json excerpt

  "scripts": {
    "preinstall": "git config core.hooksPath ./git.hooks"
  },

In my git.hooks folder I have a pre-commit.js file.

I have updated the first line to reflect the fact I'd like to execute the script running Node.js

pre-commit.js

#!C:/Program\ Files/nodejs/node.exe

console.log('Hello world!');

process.exit(1);

If I run this script directly I get a Microsoft JScript compilation error - Invalid character on line 1 char 1.

If I do a commit, I get no errors but nothing happens.

Can anyone guide me through the process of creating a Node.js hook in Windows. I would rather create one myself than use a package.

ElpieKay · Accepted Answer · 2025-02-12 01:42:18Z

6

Name the hook exactly pre-commit, without .js.
Change the first line to #!/usr/bin/env node. But make sure that C:/Program\ Files/nodejs/node.exe has been added to the environment variable PATH.
Place it in <repo>/.git/hooks.
Make it executable. In git-bash, run chmod a+x <repo>/.git/hooks/pre-commit. (This is actually not necessary on Windows.)

Now it should work as expected.

edited Feb 12 at 1:42

answered May 7, 2020 at 11:50

ElpieKay

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2 Comments

Antfish Over a year ago

This works, even in Powershell. I'm not sure I understand why though? How does Powershell interpret that first line?

ElpieKay Over a year ago

@Antfish It's not entirely clear to me. I think it's interpreted in git bash environment in the end, so it doesn't matter if you are running git commit in cmd, powershell, git bash or gui tools.

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