Purpose of "!::=::\" `name=value pair` in `env` stdout

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                          Inspecting the stdout the invocation of [env](https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/env.html)  utility without supplying an operand it returned a name=value pair whose meaning I don't understand nor was able to find any documentation 

    $ env
    ...
    !::=::\
    ...
    TERM=cygwin
    MSYSTEM_PREFIX=/mingw64
    ...
    
In the POSIX specification it is stated that

>     STDOUT
>         If no utility operand is specified, each name= value pair in the
>         resulting environment shall be written in the form:
>
>         "%s=%s\n", , 

I'm using msysgit on a machine running Windows 10.

    $ git --version
    git version 2.22.0.windows.1

    $ printf "%s\n" $BASH_VERSION
    4.4.23(1)-release

Started a new session and the result is the same.

Executing the same env command on cmd.exe returns 

    C:\>env
    !::=::\
    !C:=C:\
    ...

What is the meaning and purpose of this name=value pair?
                        

Asked by Paulo Tomé (3832 rep)

Feb 28, 2020, 12:41 PM
Last activity: Feb 28, 2020, 03:09 PM

Purpose of "!::=::\" `name=value pair` in `env` stdout

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