.bash_history does not update in Git for Windows (git bash)

Question

I am using Git for Windows (ver. 1.7.8-preview20111206) and even though I have a .bash_history file in my HOME folder, it never automatically gets updated. When I start Git

Answer 1

I put this in my ~/.bash_profile

PROMPT_COMMAND='history -a'

Answer 2

If you use git bash for windows 8, just put this in your ~/.bash_logout file:

history > .bash_history

Obviously you need a ~/.bash_history file.

Regards.

Answer 3

Create the following files

~/.bash_profile
~/.bashrc

And put the following line in both of them

PROMPT_COMMAND='history -a'

To do this from the console (git bash) itself use the following commands

echo "PROMPT_COMMAND='history -a'" >> ~/.bash_profile
echo "PROMPT_COMMAND='history -a'" >> ~/.bashrc

What history -a means

From history --help command

-a append history lines from this session to the history file

What is PROMPT_COMMAND ?

Bash provides an environment variable called PROMPT_COMMAND. The contents of this variable are executed as a regular Bash command just before Bash displays a prompt.

Difference between .bash_profile AND .bashrc

.bash_profile is executed for login shells, while .bashrc is executed for interactive non-login shells.

When you login (type username and password) via console, either sitting at the machine, or remotely via ssh: .bash_profile is executed to configure your shell before the initial command prompt.

But, if you’ve already logged into your machine and open a new terminal window (xterm) then .bashrc is executed before the window command prompt. .bashrc is also run when you start a new bash instance by typing /bin/bash in a terminal.

On OS X, Terminal by default runs a login shell every time, so this is a little different to most other systems, but you can configure that in the preferences.

References

https://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Bash-Prompt-HOWTO/x264.html https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/51036/what-is-the-difference-between-bash-profile-and-bashrc

Answer 4

I am using Windows 10 for me it was a permission problem, my temporary solution was to add Everyone group and give it Full control on ~/.bash_history file.

Answer 5

As it was said here, to save git bash history on Windows you must not close the terminal with X button. Use exit command instead. History of commands will be saved then regardless of configuration mentioned in the accepted answer.

Answer 6

If you're using Git bash in VSCode please see C.M.'s comment above.

This worked for running git's bash in Visual Studio Code, but I had to put it ~/.bashrc not ~/.bash_profile. – C.M. Jul 29 at 14:43

This solved it for me.