Best Fixes
Confirm there is no active Git process still using the repository before removing the stale lock file.
After removing a stale lock safely, rerun the original command and verify the repo state looks consistent.
Error Fix
How to Fix 'index.lock' Already Exists in Git
What the Git lock file means and when it is safe to remove it.
Git creates lock files to prevent concurrent writes to repository metadata. If a Git process crashed or was interrupted, the lock can remain behind and block future commands.
Avoid This
Do not remove lock files while another Git command is still genuinely running.
Do not ignore repeated lock-file problems if they suggest crashes or tooling conflicts.
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