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A path that works on a Windows development machine can fail in Linux tests if its capitalization does not exactly match the file or directory name in the repository. Windows is generally case-insensitive; Linux filesystems are case-sensitive. Correct the path spelling in the code or configuration, then verify the change in Linux rather than trying to mask it with a Git setting.
Why capitalization changes whether a path resolves
On a case-sensitive filesystem, uppercase and lowercase letters distinguish names. If the repository contains utils, a reference to ./Utils does not necessarily identify it. Microsoft describes the general platform difference directly: “Windows is case-insensitive and Linux is case-sensitive.” Microsoft Learn: Filename and directory case sensitivity.
That difference can hide a mismatch during local development: a Windows machine may resolve a differently capitalized reference, while a Linux test runner cannot. The mismatch can appear in an import, but it is not limited to imports. Test fixtures, configuration files, generated manifests, and script arguments can all contain paths that must match the tracked names.
How to find and fix the mismatch
- Read the failure closely. Identify the exact path string the test or build is trying to resolve. Check the relevant source, test, configuration, generated manifest, or script argument rather than assuming the problem is an import.
- Compare it with the repository’s spelling. Check every path component exactly, including parent directories. A correctly capitalized filename still will not help if a directory earlier in the path has different capitalization.
- Make the spelling consistent. Change the reference to match the tracked path, or rename the tracked path and update its references. On a case-insensitive working filesystem, a case-only rename may require renaming through an intermediate filename. Then inspect the staged path to confirm Git has recorded the intended spelling; exact commands depend on the platform and repository state.
- Run the relevant check on Linux. Use a Linux environment or Linux CI job to verify the fix. A successful run on a case-insensitive working tree does not establish that the path will work on Linux.
Why changing core.ignoreCase is not the fix
Git’s core.ignoreCase setting is a compatibility mechanism for filesystems that do not preserve case-sensitive distinctions. Git probes the filesystem during clone or initialization and sets the option when appropriate. It does not correct a wrongly capitalized import or configuration path. See the Git 2.40.4 documentation for core.ignoreCase.
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Microsoft cautions that setting this option to false on a case-insensitive filesystem can cause “confusing errors, false conflicts, or duplicate files.” Fix the path mismatch first, and verify it in the environment that needs to resolve the path. Changing Git’s setting is not a portable substitute for matching the repository’s actual path spelling. Microsoft Learn: Case Sensitivity.
Check the filesystem when using WSL
WSL does not have one case-sensitivity behavior for every project location. Microsoft says the WSL Linux filesystem is case-sensitive by default, while NTFS-formatted drives mounted into WSL are case-insensitive by default. WSL also provides directory and mount configuration options, with some options depending on the WSL mode. Microsoft Learn: Filename and directory case sensitivity.
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If a mismatch appears only in one WSL setup, check whether the project is stored in the WSL Linux filesystem or on a mounted NTFS drive, and review the relevant directory or mount configuration. The location and settings can affect whether a local run reproduces Linux’s behavior; Linux CI remains the direct check for Linux test behavior.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose a validation environment that matches the failure
| Validation context | What it tells you | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Local development filesystem | Whether the path resolves in that machine’s filesystem conditions. | Operating system, filesystem behavior, and—under WSL—project location and mount or directory settings. |
| Linux test or CI environment | Whether the path resolves in the Linux environment named by the failure. | That the job tests the same tracked tree as the submitted change and runs the relevant test or build. |
Local settings can help reproduce a problem, but a local success on a case-insensitive filesystem cannot validate exact path casing for Linux. No particular CI provider is required by this troubleshooting approach.
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