desktop: Clone action on Projects with external GitHub HTTPS remote fails silently — Desktop `git` process doesn't inherit system credential helper (macOS)
- Dominant language
- Rust
- Stars
- 32.7k
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- Avg merge
- 1d 13h
- Merged PRs (30d)
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Description
## Describe the bug
Clicking **Clone** on a Project whose announcement's `clone` tag points to a **private GitHub HTTPS URL** fails with only `Couldn't clone repository` in the UI. The same URL clones fine from a plain Terminal on the same machine, using the exact same user's credentials.
Root cause looks like the Tauri-spawned `git` process doesn't inherit the user's system git config (`credential.helper=osxkeychain`, `gh` credential integration, etc.) — a well-known macOS gotcha where GUI apps launched from Finder/Dock don't get the interactive shell's env.
## Steps to reproduce
1. Announce a Project whose `clone` tag is a **private** GitHub HTTPS URL (e.g. `https://github.com//.git`)
2. On macOS, in Buzz Desktop, click **Clone** on the announcement
3. Observe error: `Couldn't clone repository`
4. In a Terminal on the same machine: `git clone https://github.com//.git /tmp/x` — succeeds
## Expected behavior
Desktop's clone flow should either:
- Inherit the system git credential-helper chain (respect `~/.gitconfig`, `osxkeychain`, `gh`'s helper), or
- Prompt for GitHub credentials / offer to use an existing `gh` session, or
- Surface the underlying `git` stderr so users can self-diagnose (currently the UI swallows it)
## Version and platform
- Buzz Desktop: 0.5.11 (`CFBundleShortVersionString` from `/Applications/Buzz.app/Contents/Info.plist`)
- macOS: Darwin 25.5.0
- Bundle: `xyz.block.buzz.app`
## Related
- #5726 — adjacent: GitHub remotes not appearing in the Projects remote view
## Additional context
Public repos on GitHub HTTPS clone fine (no auth needed), so this only bites private repos. SSH URL (`git@github.com:...`) is a workaround if the user has an SSH key configured in `ssh-agent` — but same GUI-env issue likely applies there too on macOS unless `ssh-agent` is loaded system-wide.
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start at Buzz Desktop's Tauri clone flow and the spawned git process; compare its environment and credential behavior with the Terminal `git clone` reproduction for a private GitHub HTTPS URL. Done means the macOS desktop flow uses the configured credential path or surfaces the underlying git error or prompt instead of only showing `Couldn't clone repository`, while public cloning remains working.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- git, github, macos, rust, tauri
- Domain
- desktop
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Active
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 55/100