fix(template): skip the hook install when core.hooksPath is set

pre-commit refuses to install hooks while git's core.hooksPath is set in
any scope, and a failing _task makes copier delete the whole copy. The
task now checks the setting first and skips with a hint on stderr, so a
machine with a global hooks directory still gets a complete render; the
hooks can be installed by hand once the setting is gone. A generation
test pins the skip: the copy succeeds, no hook lands, the hint prints.

Author: maybebyte

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- The copy-time hook install no longer aborts (and rolls back) the whole copy when
+  git's `core.hooksPath` is set; pre-commit refuses to install under it, so the task
+  skips with a hint on stderr instead.
 - The generated `.gitignore` ignores pytest-cov's `.coverage` data file alongside
   `coverage.xml`.
 

README.md

@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ To update a downstream project after a new template release:
 copier update --trust
 ```
 
+Hooks are installed on copy unless git's `core.hooksPath` is set (pre-commit refuses to install under it); the copy then skips that step with a hint instead of failing.
+
 ## Toggles
 
 All toggles default to `true` — every guardrail layer ships unless you opt out.

copier.yml

@@ -34,7 +34,14 @@ _tasks:
     when: "{{ _copier_operation == 'copy' }}"
   - command: uv sync
     when: "{{ _copier_operation == 'copy' }}"
-  - command: uv run pre-commit install --install-hooks
+  # pre-commit refuses to install while core.hooksPath is set (any scope), and a failing
+  # task rolls the whole copy back — skip with a hint on stderr instead.
+  - command: |
+      if git config --get core.hooksPath >/dev/null; then
+        echo "core.hooksPath is set: skipping 'pre-commit install'. Run 'uv run pre-commit install --install-hooks' yourself once it is unset, or dispatch pre-commit from your global hooks." >&2
+      else
+        uv run pre-commit install --install-hooks
+      fi
     when: "{{ _copier_operation == 'copy' and enable_precommit_install }}"
 
 # _migrations run ONLY on update (never copy), version-gated to the release that

tests/test_generation.py

@@ -311,6 +311,25 @@ def test_precommit_install_task_runs(render: RenderFn, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert (dst / ".git" / "hooks" / "pre-push").exists()
 
 
+def test_precommit_install_skipped_when_hookspath_set(
+    render: RenderFn, tmp_path: Path, capfd: pytest.CaptureFixture[str]
+) -> None:
+    """A global core.hooksPath must not abort the copy: the install task skips with a hint.
+
+    pre-commit refuses to install hooks while core.hooksPath is set (any scope), and a
+    failing _task makes copier roll the whole copy back. The task guards on the setting
+    instead, so the render succeeds hook-less and says why on stderr.
+    """
+    hooks = tmp_path / "hooks"
+    hooks.mkdir()
+    with git_global_config(tmp_path / "gitconfig", hooks_path=hooks):
+        project = render({**MINIMAL, "enable_precommit_install": True}, tmp_path / "out")
+    assert (project / "uv.lock").is_file()
+    assert not (project / ".git" / "hooks" / "pre-commit").exists()
+    assert not (hooks / "pre-commit").exists()
+    assert "core.hooksPath" in capfd.readouterr().err
+
+
 def test_property_layer(render: RenderFn, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     on = render({**MINIMAL, "enable_property_tests": True}, tmp_path / "on")
     assert (on / "tests" / "property" / "test_example_property.py").is_file()