How to Fix the Error “Git Submodule Update Failed with ‘fatal: Detected Dubious Ownership in Repository at'”

Introduction

When working with Git, you may encounter errors related to submodules, such as the error message “fatal: detected dubious ownership in repository at”. This error occurs when Git detects inconsistent file ownership or permissions within a submodule repository. In this article, we will discuss how to fix this error.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, make sure you have Git installed on your Linux system and have access to the terminal.

Solution

To fix the “fatal: detected dubious ownership in repository at” error when updating Git submodules, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Identify the Problematic Submodule

1. Navigate to the root of your Git repository.
2. Run the following command to update the submodules:

   git submodule update --recursive --remote

3. Note the submodule(s) that trigger the error message.

Step 2: Fix Ownership and Permissions

1. Navigate to the submodule directory that caused the error.
2. Run the following command to reset the ownership and permissions of the submodule files:

   sudo chown -R $(whoami) .

This command sets the ownership of all files and directories in the submodule to the current user.

Step 3: Update the Submodule

1. Navigate back to the root of your Git repository.
2. Run the following command to update the submodule:

   git submodule update --recursive --remote

This command should now complete without errors.

Step 4: Commit Changes

1. After successfully updating the submodule, commit the changes to the submodule reference in the main repository.

   git add <submodule>
   git commit -m "Fixed submodule ownership and permissions"
   git push

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined in this article, you can fix the “fatal: detected dubious ownership in repository at” error when updating Git submodules. It’s important to ensure consistent file ownership and permissions within your Git repository to avoid such errors in the future.