can't build git on windows

[DataCrusade1999]

I'm using WSL to build git and so far it works great but I want to build git on Windows and I'm following this guide ( https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md ) but after downloading Git for Windows SDK (64-bit) when I try cd /usr/src/git in the newly opened git bash shell I don't find any files even though my branch is main how do I resolve this issue?

[PhilipOakley]

If I remember correctly, the SDK holds all these usr/src/ repos as sub-modules which are not automatically populated. You need to fetch/pull/clone the repos as desired/required.

Also see if it just needs you to checkout main (aside: in the Upstream Git, main is a symlink to master which is still the primary branch.

[DataCrusade1999]

Thanks for helping I just ran git fetch followed by git merge origin/main and the directory is populated now.

[dscho]

When you open a Git SDK Bash, it shows this:

Welcome to the Git for Windows SDK!

The common tasks are automated via the `sdk` function;
See `sdk help` for details.

And running sdk help shows this:

The 'sdk' shell function helps you to get up and running
with the Git for Windows SDK. The available subcommands are:

create-desktop-icon: install a desktop icon that starts the Git for
    Windows SDK Bash.

cd <project>: initialize/update a worktree and cd into it. Known projects:
        git git-extra msys2-runtime installer build-extra
        MINGW-packages MSYS2-packages mingw-w64-busybox mingw-w64-curl
        mingw-w64-cv2pdb mingw-w64-git mingw-w64-git-credential-manager
        mingw-w64-git-lfs mingw-w64-git-sizer mingw-w64-wintoast bash
        curl gawk git-flow gnupg heimdal mintty nodejs openssh openssl
        perl perl-HTML-Parser perl-Locale-Gettext perl-Net-SSLeay
        perl-TermReadKey perl-XML-Parser perl-YAML-Syck subversion tig

init <project>: initialize and/or update a worktree. Known projects
    are the same as for the 'cd' command.

build <project>: builds one of the following:
        git-and-installer git git-extra msys2-runtime installer
        mingw-w64-busybox mingw-w64-curl mingw-w64-cv2pdb mingw-w64-git
        mingw-w64-git-credential-manager mingw-w64-git-lfs
        mingw-w64-git-sizer mingw-w64-wintoast bash curl gawk
        git-flow gnupg heimdal mintty nodejs openssh openssl
        perl perl-HTML-Parser perl-Locale-Gettext perl-Net-SSLeay
        perl-TermReadKey perl-XML-Parser perl-YAML-Syck subversion tig

edit <file>: edit a well-known file. Well-known files are:
        git-sdk.sh sdk.completion ReleaseNotes.md install.iss

reload: reload the 'sdk' function.

So running sdk build git as suggested should get you there in the quickest amount of time.

[DataCrusade1999]

I'll try this one too. thank you for helping