Expect user 'gitea' but current user is: #2310

New Issue

GiteaMirror · 2025-11-02T04:32:12-06:00

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 04:32:12 -06:00

Originally created by @tinxx on GitHub (Sep 8, 2018).

Gitea version (or commit ref): 1.5.1
Git version: 2.18.0
Operating system: Alpine Linux v3.8
Database (use [x]):
- PostgreSQL
- MySQL
- MSSQL
- SQLite
Can you reproduce the bug at https://try.gitea.io:
- Yes (provide example URL)
- No
- Not relevant
Log gist: --

Description

Gitea is unable to identify current user on Alpine Linux.
I have build a simple docker container using Alpine Linux to run the official release of Gitea taken from dl.gitea.io. Problem is that it does not seem to be able to identify current user, so if I set a RUN_USER in app.ini, all I get is the following error message:

2018/09/08 12:20:59 [...s/setting/setting.go:990 NewContext()] [E] Expect user 'gitea' but current user is:

Gitea runs if you omit setting RUN_USER, but it uses empty user name in ssh strings, too, like so: ssh://@domain.tld/RepoName.git

Originally created by @tinxx on GitHub (Sep 8, 2018). - Gitea version (or commit ref): 1.5.1 - Git version: 2.18.0 - Operating system: Alpine Linux v3.8 - Database (use `[x]`): - [ ] PostgreSQL - [ ] MySQL - [ ] MSSQL - [x] SQLite - Can you reproduce the bug at https://try.gitea.io: - [ ] Yes (provide example URL) - [ ] No - [x] Not relevant - Log gist: -- ## Description Gitea is unable to identify current user on Alpine Linux. I have build a simple docker container using Alpine Linux to run the official release of Gitea taken from `dl.gitea.io`. Problem is that it does not seem to be able to identify current user, so if I set a `RUN_USER` in `app.ini`, all I get is the following error message: ``` 2018/09/08 12:20:59 [...s/setting/setting.go:990 NewContext()] [E] Expect user 'gitea' but current user is: ``` Gitea runs if you omit setting `RUN_USER`, but it uses empty user name in ssh strings, too, like so: `ssh://@domain.tld/RepoName.git`

GiteaMirror added the type/enhancement issue/duplicate labels 2025-11-02 04:32:12 -06:00

GiteaMirror closed this issue

2025-11-02 04:32:13 -06:00

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 04:32:13 -06:00

@SagePtr commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2018):

Now gitea relies on USER environment variable (don't know why, it can easily be spoofed).
So try to run
USER=gitea /path/to/gitea web

Maybe this should be fixed and CurrentUsername function should use Current() function from "os/user" to determine actual username rather than looking at USER environment variable?

@SagePtr commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2018): Now gitea relies on USER environment variable (don't know why, it can easily be spoofed). So try to run ```USER=gitea /path/to/gitea web``` Maybe this should be fixed and CurrentUsername function should use Current() function from "[os/user](https://golang.org/pkg/os/user/#Current)" to determine actual username rather than looking at ```USER``` environment variable?

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 04:32:14 -06:00

@tinxx commented on GitHub (Sep 9, 2018):

So try to run

USER=gitea /path/to/gitea web

@SagePtr, it actually solved the problem, thanks!

EDIT:
A follow-up problem is that ssh connection is not possible. This is due to the same problem, as gitea is called as part of the auth (ref. .ssh/authorized_keys).

EDIT 2:
I have added ENV USER=gitea to my Dockerfile for the time being :)

Hi there, You've successfully authenticated, but Gitea does not provide shell access.
If this is unexpected, please log in with password and setup Gitea under another user.

EDIT 3:
I don't know (yet) what exactly Gitea does after ssh login but it is probably not portable across busybox. This is what I see:

halt: unrecognized option: c
BusyBox v1.28.4 (2018-07-17 15:21:40 UTC) multi-call binary.

Usage: halt [-d DELAY] [-n] [-f]

Halt the system

	-d SEC	Delay interval
	-n	Do not sync
	-f	Force (don't go through init)

@tinxx commented on GitHub (Sep 9, 2018): > So try to run > ``` > USER=gitea /path/to/gitea web > ``` @SagePtr, it actually solved the problem, thanks! **EDIT:** A follow-up problem is that ssh connection is not possible. This is due to the same problem, as gitea is called as part of the auth (ref. `.ssh/authorized_keys`). **EDIT 2:** I have added `ENV USER=gitea` to my Dockerfile for the time being :) > Hi there, You've successfully authenticated, but Gitea does not provide shell access. > If this is unexpected, please log in with password and setup Gitea under another user. **EDIT 3:** I don't know (yet) what exactly Gitea does after ssh login but it is probably not portable across busybox. This is what I see: ``` halt: unrecognized option: c BusyBox v1.28.4 (2018-07-17 15:21:40 UTC) multi-call binary. Usage: halt [-d DELAY] [-n] [-f] Halt the system -d SEC Delay interval -n Do not sync -f Force (don't go through init) ```

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 04:32:14 -06:00

@adelowo commented on GitHub (Sep 9, 2018):

A follow-up problem is that ssh connection is not possible. This is due to the same problem, as gitea is called as part of the auth (ref. .ssh/authorized_keys).

ssh -o PreferredAuthentications=password -o PubkeyAuthentication=no server@IP

@adelowo commented on GitHub (Sep 9, 2018): > A follow-up problem is that ssh connection is not possible. This is due to the same problem, as gitea is called as part of the auth (ref. .ssh/authorized_keys). `ssh -o PreferredAuthentications=password -o PubkeyAuthentication=no server@IP`

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 04:32:14 -06:00

@SagePtr commented on GitHub (Sep 9, 2018):

Try setting HOME environment variable as well, probably it relies on it when accessing .ssh/authorized_keys file

@SagePtr commented on GitHub (Sep 9, 2018): Try setting ```HOME``` environment variable as well, probably it relies on it when accessing .ssh/authorized_keys file

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 04:32:14 -06:00

@tinxx commented on GitHub (Sep 9, 2018):

No, I think you misunderstood. HOME is already set. The problem must be something Gitea executes after SSH auth is granted.

EDIT:
I fixed it by installing and providing dash as default shell for user gitea. We could still consider fixing busybox compatibility.

I think I'm fine now. Thanks for your help! :)

EDIT 2:
Sadly, I was mistaken. Gitea seems to rely on bash after. Pull worked just fine but this happens when trying to push:

remote: env: can't execute 'bash': No such file or directory

EDIT 3:
I replaced dash with bash in my previous fix (see above) and all seems to be good now.

I think, though, that Gitea should be made POSIX compliant so it could run on any standard shell!

@tinxx commented on GitHub (Sep 9, 2018): No, I think you misunderstood. `HOME` is already set. The problem must be something Gitea executes after SSH auth is granted. **EDIT:** I fixed it by installing and providing `dash` as default shell for user gitea. We could still consider fixing busybox compatibility. I think I'm fine now. Thanks for your help! :) **EDIT 2:** Sadly, I was mistaken. Gitea seems to rely on `bash` after. Pull worked just fine but this happens when trying to push: ``` remote: env: can't execute 'bash': No such file or directory ``` **EDIT 3:** I replaced `dash` with `bash` in my previous fix (see above) and all seems to be good now. I think, though, that Gitea should be made POSIX compliant so it could run on any standard shell!

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 04:32:15 -06:00

@techknowlogick commented on GitHub (Sep 10, 2018):

Closing as dupe of #1640

@techknowlogick commented on GitHub (Sep 10, 2018): Closing as dupe of #1640

GiteaMirror commented

2025-11-02 04:32:15 -06:00

@bboysoulcn commented on GitHub (Jun 6, 2019):

write a shell script and
docker exec -it gogs cat /data/gogs/backup.sh
shell content

#!/bin/bash
su - git -s /bin/bash -c "/app/gogs/gogs backup"

@bboysoulcn commented on GitHub (Jun 6, 2019): write a shell script and `docker exec -it gogs cat /data/gogs/backup.sh` shell content ``` #!/bin/bash su - git -s /bin/bash -c "/app/gogs/gogs backup" ```

GiteaMirror referenced this issue

2025-11-02 12:08:12 -06:00

[PR #2310] [MERGED] refactor(Makefile): allow overriding default go program #16337

Sign in to join this conversation.

Branches Tags

1 Participants

Notifications

Due Date

No due date set.

Dependencies

No dependencies set.

Reference: github-starred/gitea#2310