The repository was locked behind Kerberos authentication, and git checkout refused to move.
Working with Git in environments that enforce Kerberos can be fast if you know the rules. Kerberos is a network authentication protocol that uses tickets to confirm identity. Many companies use it to secure internal Git servers. If your ticket is expired or missing, any Git command—including git checkout—will fail.
First, confirm you have a valid Kerberos ticket:
klist
If the ticket has expired, run:
kinit your_username@YOUR_REALM
Replace YOUR_REALM with your Kerberos realm, often matching your organization’s domain. This step refreshes your identity with the server.
Next, check your Git remote URL. Kerberos-based Git servers often use https or ssh configured with GSSAPI authentication. For HTTPS:
git remote set-url origin https://git.internal.example.com/repo.git
For SSH with Kerberos:
ssh -K git.internal.example.com
If SSH works, Git will also work. Now you can safely run:
git checkout branch_name
When git checkout still hangs, set http.emptyAuth to force Git to send Kerberos credentials:
git config --global http.emptyAuth true
Also ensure your ~/.ssh/config has:
GSSAPIAuthentication yes
GSSAPIDelegateCredentials yes
The key is keeping your Kerberos ticket valid, your remote URL accurate, and your Git configuration aligned with GSSAPI. Once set, branching and merging become seamless again.
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