git-credential-cache--daemon

git-credential-cache--daemon [options...] <socket>

<socket>
    Path to Unix domain socket for credential protocol communication.

--timeout=<seconds>
    Seconds after storing before credentials expire (default: 900).

--idle-timeout=<seconds>
    Seconds of inactivity before daemon exits (default: 10 × timeout).

git-credential-cache--daemon is the server process powering Git's credential-cache helper. It temporarily stores authentication credentials (usernames, passwords, tokens) in RAM, eliminating repeated prompts during Git operations like git fetch, push, or clone.

Spawned automatically by git-credential-cache, it binds to a Unix domain socket for inter-process communication. Git uses the standard credential protocol—sending get, store, or erase commands over the socket—to manage credentials. Entries expire after a timeout for security, and the daemon self-terminates on idle periods.

Ideal for interactive use or CI environments needing short-term caching without disk persistence. Socket permissions enforce access control, but it's memory-only: data vanishes on process exit, logout, or reboot. Configure via Git's credential.helper setting: git config credential.helper cache.

Unlike credential-store (disk-based), it's faster startup but less persistent; contrasts with secure options like osxkeychain or wincred.

Memory-only storage lost on exit/reboot; insecure on shared/multi-user systems (relies on socket perms). Unix sockets only—no Windows support. Avoid for long-term or sensitive creds.

Rarely run directly; auto-spawned by git-credential-cache. Socket defaults to $HOME/.git-credential-cache/socket or $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR.

Listens for lines: get, store, erase with protocol data. Responds with credential key-value pairs or empty success.

Introduced in Git 1.5.3 (2007) with early credential helpers; timeout options added in 1.6.x. Idle timeout in 2.3 (2014). Evolved with Git's credential API for helpers.

git-credential-cache(1), git-credential-store(1), gitcredentials(7), ssh-add(1)