Git Credential Manager is a secure Git credential helper that stores authentication credentials across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
The tool solves the problem of managing Git credentials securely across multiple hosting platforms. It acts as a credential helper that integrates with Git's credential system, intercepting authentication requests and providing stored credentials or facilitating new authentication flows. Unlike Git's built-in credential helpers, which support only single-factor username and password authentication, Git Credential Manager enables multi-factor authentication and OAuth flows. It securely stores credentials using each platform's native credential storage system: the Windows Credential Manager on Windows, Keychain on macOS, and libsecret or gnome-keyring on Linux.
Developers should choose this tool if they work across multiple Git hosting services and want consistent authentication handling without managing separate credential systems for each platform. It suits teams using Azure DevOps, GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket who need multi-factor authentication support. The tool works with HTTP and HTTPS remotes; SSH users should configure SSH keys separately according to their hosting provider's documentation. Compared to Git's built-in credential helpers, which provide only basic username and password storage, Git Credential Manager adds support for OAuth, multi-factor authentication, and platform-specific authentication methods like Entra ID on Windows and Windows Integrated Authentication.
The project maintains active support across three major operating systems with platform-specific features: Windows receives Entra authentication with broker support as an opt-in feature, while macOS and Linux receive the core authentication capabilities. The tool targets the latest .NET LTS versions and updates as they become available. Maintenance branches exist to provide security-only patches for older versions on unsupported operating systems, with new features reserved for the current supported release line.
