dev@local: ~/project — git
dev@local~/project$git commit
fatal: index lock file exists
Another git process seems to be running in this repository, e.g.
an editor opened by 'git commit'. Please make sure all processes
are terminated then try again.
Diagnostics Translation
Git cannot run because another Git process is currently modifying the repository.
waiting for resolution...
LowVersion Control System
Reviewed for reference consistency: April 11, 2026
Code is Safe
SECUREGit has paused the operation to protect your code. No data has been lost or corrupted.
What To Know
This usually means Git believes another process still owns the staging-area lock, so it refuses to let two writers touch the same index at once.
Where Did It Fail?
Working Tree
Your local files
add
Staging Index
Prepared changes
commit
Local Repo
Commit history
push/fetch
Remote Server
GitHub/GitLab
The operation was blocked at the staging area. Git cannot prepare or finalize the commit.
Commands That Trigger This
$git commit
Closing the terminal window forcefully while a or `git pull` was still running
$Running a script that executes multiple Git commands asynchronously
Running a script that executes multiple Git commands asynchronously
Technical Background
01
The lock file is a vital concurrency safeguard. It guarantees that only one process can write to the Git index at a time.
02
If you are absolutely certain no other Git process is running, the lock file is 'stale' and can be safely deleted manually from the `.git` folder.
Underlying Causes
A previous Git command crashed or was forcefully killed, leaving the lock file behind
An IDE (like VS Code) or GUI tool is running a background fetch at the same time
Two developers running Git commands simultaneously on a shared network drive
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, provided you have verified that no background Git processes (or IDE integrations) are actively running.