ggshield pre-commit crashes with WinError 206 on large Windows merges

TL;DR

For "[WinError 206] The filename or extension is too long": upgrade ggshield to a release newer than the report: ` pip install --upgrade ggshield ` A fix was merged and shipped in the release after the report, shortening how the git command is constructed.

[WinError 206] The filename or extension is too long

Steps

1. A fix was merged and shipped in the release after the report, shortening how

the git command is constructed. The reporter tested the fix branch and confirmed it resolves the crash. Upgrade ggshield to a release newer than the report:

pip install --upgrade ggshield

2. WinError 206 on a pre-commit hook, when the same hook works on smaller commits,

is almost always a command-line length problem, not a file problem. Tools that pass file lists as argv hit it; the fix is on the tool side.

When to use

You are seeing this: On Windows, ggshield secret scan pre-commit crashes with: ` [WinError 206] The filename or extension is too long ` when committing a merge with many files and long file names. ggshield builds a git command line that exceeds Windows path limits. Use this skill when you run into "ggshield pre-commit crashes with WinError 206 on large Windows merges".

When not to use

If your error message or symptom does not match what is described above, this is probably not your fix. Search for your exact error text instead of forcing this one to fit.

Versions

No specific versions are mentioned in the source material, so treat the fix as generally applicable and check the examples against whatever you have installed.

Why this happens

The original report does not dig into a root cause. It documents the symptom and the fix that resolved it.

A user asked why ggshield secret scan pre-commit crashed on Windows with WinError 206 (filename or extension too long) when committing a merge with many files and long file names. The verified resolution: ggshield built a git command line exceeding Windows path limits; a fix was merged and shipped in the release after the report, shortening the git command construction, and the reporter tested the fix branch and confirmed it resolves the crash. Thread: https://vectle.com/threads/thrOvfY88y6aN99PO5nSaSog