Git Installation Guide: The First Step to Installing AI Apps ​

🤔 Why Do You Need to Install Git First? ​

What is Git? ​

Simply put, Git is a version control tool that helps you manage changes to files and code. Think of it as a "time machine" — you can go back to previous versions anytime, and you can also get the latest updates easily.

Why Do AI Apps Need It? ​

Many AI apps have their core programs and model files hosted in Git repositories. With Git installed, the app can:

• Automatically pull the latest version: No need to manually download updates — Git handles it for you
• Keep model files in sync: AI models are frequently updated and fixed, and Git makes this process simple
• Easy rollback: If a new version has issues, you can easily go back to a previous stable version

So, installing Git is an important prerequisite for using these AI apps.

🪄 LM Downloader's Auto-Installation Mechanism ​

LM Downloader automatically detects your computer environment:

• ✅ If Git is already installed → Uses it directly, no extra steps needed
• 📦 If Git is not installed → Automatically installs it for you

When Auto-Installation Might Fail ​

Although LM Downloader handles this automatically, the following situations may cause installation to fail:

• Network issues: Download interrupted or timed out
• Insufficient permissions: No administrator privileges
• Antivirus software blocking: Security software mistakenly flags the installation as risky
• Firewall blocking: Network firewall prevents downloading or installation

💡 Tip: If the installation fails due to antivirus software or firewall, you can temporarily disable them and try again. Remember to re-enable them after installation is complete.

🪟 Installing Git on Windows ​

Step 1: Check if Git is Already Installed ​

Open Command Prompt (press Win + R, type cmd, press Enter), and enter:

git --version

• If it shows a version number like git version 2.47.1.windows.2 → Already installed, no need to install
• If it says "is not recognized as an internal or external command" → You need to install it

Step 2: Download the Installer ​

Click the link below to download the Git installer:

🔗 Git for Windows Download Link

📌 While this version is not the latest, it has been verified to work reliably on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Step 3: Run the Installer ​

1. Double-click the downloaded Git-2.51.2-64-bit.exe file
2. If a "User Account Control" prompt appears, click "Yes"
3. Keep most options as default during installation, just click Next
4. Wait for installation to complete, then click Finish

Step 4: Verify the Installation ​

Reopen Command Prompt and enter again:

git --version

If you see a version number output, the installation was successful! 🎉

🍎 Installing Git on macOS ​

Step 1: Check if Git is Already Installed ​

Open Terminal (press Cmd + Space, type "Terminal", press Enter), and enter:

git --version

• If it shows a version number like git version 2.39.5 (Apple Git-154) → Already installed, no need to install
• If it prompts you to install command line tools → You need to install them

Step 2: Install Git ​

Method 1: Command Line Installation (Recommended) ​

Enter the following command in Terminal:

xcode-select --install

A dialog will appear prompting you to install "Command Line Developer Tools". Click the Install button and wait for the download and installation to complete.

After installation, accept the license agreement:

xcodebuild -license accept

Method 2: Installation Package ​

macOS also has a graphical installation package for Git, but note: the installation package strictly corresponds to the operating system version. Different versions of macOS require different installation packages.

If the command line method doesn't work for you, please contact customer service. We'll help you find the correct installation package that matches your system version.

Step 3: Verify the Installation ​

Reopen Terminal and enter again:

git --version

If you see a version number output, the installation was successful! 🎉

❓ FAQ ​

Q1: What do I need to do after installing Git? ​

Nothing extra. Once Git is installed, LM Downloader will automatically detect and use it. You just need to use LM Downloader normally to install AI apps.

Q2: What if auto-installation fails? ​

1. First, check if your network connection is working properly
2. Temporarily disable antivirus software and firewall, then retry
3. If it still fails, follow this guide to manually install Git
4. Still having trouble with manual installation? Contact customer service for help

Q3: Why do antivirus software and firewalls block the download and installation? ​

This is a very common phenomenon, no need to worry. The main reasons are:

• Downloading executable files triggers alerts: LM Downloader downloads a portable version of Git, which contains many executable files (.exe, .dll, etc.) after extraction. The behavior of "a program automatically downloading and releasing executable files from the internet" is easily flagged as suspicious by security software
• Firewall blocks network downloads: When LM Downloader downloads the Git archive from a remote server, the firewall may identify it as "a network download initiated by an unknown program" and block it
• False positive mechanism of security software: Antivirus software typically follows a "better safe than sorry" strategy, tending to block unfamiliar automatic download and extraction behaviors

Solution: Temporarily disable antivirus software and firewall, then re-enable them after installation is complete. This is safe because Git is an open-source, widely-used, and trusted tool.

Q4: My antivirus software blocks it every time. What can I do? ​

You can add Git or LM Downloader to the antivirus software's "trust list" or "whitelist", so it won't be blocked in the future. For specific instructions, refer to the documentation of your antivirus software.