Embedded Git transition and System Git compatibility boundaries

Expected behavior when Embedded Git is older than the repo‑initializing Git version

If you switch Sourcetree to use its bundled (Embedded) Git while that binary is older than the Git version that originally created or last operated on the repository, Sourcetree will simply invoke the older executable for all subsequent Git commands. Any command that relies on a feature, flag, or object format introduced after the Embedded version will be rejected by the binary, typically producing an error such as "unknown option" or "unsupported version". The GUI may show the command as failed, and dependent operations (e.g., a merge, checkout, or push) will not complete.

Confirmed fact about Sourcetree’s handling

Sourcetree does not perform any automatic feature‑compatibility check when you toggle the Embedded/System Git setting in Tools → Options → General. It merely changes the path to the git executable that subsequent commands use.

1. Record the System Git version: open a terminal and run git --version.
2. Find the Embedded Git version in Sourcetree: Tools → Options → General → Embedded Git version.
3. Compare the two version strings; note whether the Embedded version is older.
4. If Embedded is older, test a command that uses a feature introduced after that version (for example, git merge --allow-unrelated-histories or git checkout -c core.symlinks=true) in a temporary clone of the repository.
5. Only proceed with the switch if the test succeeds, or accept the risk of possible failures.

To give a definitive recommendation, please provide the exact output of git --version from inside the repository’s working tree so we can determine whether the repo depends on features newer than the Embedded Git.