How to fix error: scalar clone failed to initialize repository in Git

# Run scalar clone with verbose output
GIT_TRACE=1 scalar clone https://github.com/user/repo.git

# Common sub-errors you might see:
# - "terminal prompts disabled" - authentication issue
# - "Could not find a part of the path" - installation path mismatch
# - "http 401: Not authorized" - credential problem
# - "does not appear to be a git repository" - URL format issue

# Run a regular git clone first to trigger authentication
git clone https://dev.azure.com/org/project/_git/repo temp-auth-clone
# Complete the authentication prompt
# Then remove the temp clone
rm -rf temp-auth-clone

# Now retry scalar clone
scalar clone https://dev.azure.com/org/project/_git/repo

# Use a Personal Access Token instead of password
# Create token at: https://github.com/settings/tokens

# Store credentials before cloning
git credential approve <<EOF
protocol=https
host=github.com
username=YOUR_USERNAME
password=YOUR_TOKEN
EOF

# Then run scalar clone
scalar clone https://github.com/user/repo.git

# Use token directly in URL (for automation only)
scalar clone https://[email protected]/org/project/_git/repo

# Or configure credential helper
git config --global credential.helper '!f() { echo "password=$GIT_TOKEN"; }; f'

# Check where Git is actually installed via Homebrew
brew --prefix microsoft-git
# Typically: /usr/local/opt/microsoft-git or /opt/homebrew/opt/microsoft-git

# Create a symlink to the expected location
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/git/share
sudo ln -s $(brew --prefix microsoft-git)/share/git-core /usr/local/git/share/

# Or disable Watchman integration if you don't need it
scalar clone --no-fetch-commits-and-trees https://github.com/user/repo.git

# Uninstall Homebrew versions
brew uninstall scalar microsoft-git

# Download official installer from:
# https://github.com/microsoft/git/releases

# Install the .pkg file (macOS) which sets up paths correctly

# This will fail:
scalar clone ./local-repo
scalar clone /path/to/local-repo

# Use file:// URL format instead:
scalar clone file:///path/to/local-repo

# On Windows:
scalar clone file:///C:/path/to/local-repo

# For local repos, standard git clone may be more appropriate
git clone /path/to/local-repo

# Remove the partially created enlistment directory
rm -rf /path/to/failed-enlistment

# Check for stale Scalar registrations in global config
git config --global --get-regexp scalar
# or
scalar list

# Unregister the broken enlistment if listed
scalar unregister /path/to/failed-enlistment

# Clear any cached maintenance tasks
scalar maintenance stop

# Now retry the clone
scalar clone https://github.com/user/repo.git

# You cannot run scalar clone inside an existing Scalar enlistment
# Make sure you're in a clean directory
pwd
ls -la

# The destination should not already exist or contain git files

# Update Git for Windows (includes Scalar since 2.38)
git update-git-for-windows

# Or download latest microsoft/git release:
# https://github.com/microsoft/git/releases

# If using official installer, download latest from:
# https://github.com/microsoft/git/releases

# If using Homebrew:
brew update
brew upgrade microsoft-git

git --version
scalar version
# Scalar is included in Git for Windows 2.38+

# Clone with partial clone (blobs on demand)
git clone --filter=blob:none https://github.com/user/repo.git

# Enable sparse checkout
cd repo
git sparse-checkout init --cone
git sparse-checkout set src/relevant-folder

# Register with Scalar for background maintenance
scalar register

# Enable filesystem monitor manually
git config core.fsmonitor true