What is $(prefix) on $(prefix)/etc/gitconfig?

Question

gitconfig(1):

If not set explicitly with --file, there are four files where git config will search for configuration options:

...

$(prefix)/etc/gitconfig

    System-wide configuration file.

What is $(prefix) on $(prefix)/etc/gitconfig?

Wrack

Answer 1

The prefix environment variable git was compiled with. Usually, it's /usr/local, so the path is /usr/local/etc/gitconfig.

More information can be found in the INSTALL file in the git repository.

Hispaniola

Can you please elaborate? … What do you mean by “git was compiled”? Do you mean installed? How is the variable that “git was compiled with” specified? How does one see the value of this variable? How does one change it? – Designate

you supply it to the configure script before compiling git. – Hispaniola

@Famaref Can you explain it like I have no idea what you’re talking about? Please edit your answer with more details. It’s worth an upvote. – Designate

have a look in the git repository in the INSTALL file. Details the build process. – Hispaniola