Cannot use Git with Plesk for Linux as additional FTP user: AH01618: user gituser not found

Symptoms

• On a Plesk for Linux server, a local Git repository is configured on the subscription.

• It is possible to work with the repository using the system user of the subscription:

  # git clone http://[email protected]/plesk-git/example.git
  Cloning into ‘example’…
  Password for ‘http://[email protected]’:
  remote: Counting objects: 2, done.
  remote: Total 2 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0)
  Unpacking objects: 100% (2/2), done.

• Attempts to use Git repository as an additional FTP user created in Domains > example.com > FTP Access fail, even though the correct password is used:

  # git clone http://[email protected]/plesk-git/example.git
  Cloning into ‘example’…
  Password for ‘http://[email protected]’:
  fatal: Authentication failed for ‘http://[email protected]/plesk-git/example.git/’

• The following error can be found in the domain’s log file /var/www/vhosts/example.com/logs/error_log when an additional user is used for accessing Git repository:

  [auth_basic:error] [pid 2972:tid 140463692547840] [client 203.0.113.2:60065] AH01618: user gituser not found: /plesk-git/example.com/info/refs

Cause

The Git extension for Plesk currently does not add additional users to the Git protected directory.
A feature request PPM-2633 was created to address it.

Resolution

Note: Vote for these feature requests on the Plesk UserVoice portal: Multiple users for the Git extension and Add multiple Git users with SSH Key authentication

As a workaround, additional FTP users can be added to the Git protected directory manually:

1. Connect to the server using SSH.

2. Use the following commands to manage Git users:

   Note: These users will not have any relations to the system users or additional FTP users: passwords changed in Domains > example.com > Web Hosting Access or Domains > example.com > FTP Access will not propagate to the protected directory automatically.

   • Add a new user:

     # PSA_PASSWORD=example_password plesk sbin pdmng –add-user –vhost-name=example.com –[email protected] –user-name=exampleuser

   • Modify already existing user:

     # PSA_PASSWORD=new_password plesk sbin pdmng –update-user –vhost-name=example.com –[email protected] –user-name=exampleuser

   • Remove a user:

     # plesk sbin pdmng –remove-user –vhost-name=example.com –[email protected] –user-name=exampleuser

   • List existing users:

     # cat /var/www/vhosts/system/example.com/pd/[email protected]

     Note: Passwords stored in the file /var/www/vhosts/system/example.com/pd/[email protected] are encrypted