Setting Up Git Using git config (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 16 Jan, 2026

Git configuration helps set up your identity and preferences so Git can track changes correctly and work according to your workflow.

• Defines user identity (name and email) for commits.
• Allows customization of Git behavior and defaults.
• Ensures consistent and efficient version control usage.

Working of Git Configuration

• Git settings are stored in different configuration files at system, global, and local levels, defining how Git behaves.
• Local configurations take priority over global configurations, and global configurations override system configurations.
• Git provides the git config command to set and modify various settings related to user identity, repository behavior, and preferences.
• The git config --list command allows users to see currently applied settings from all configuration levels.
• Users can create aliases, define default branches, and set up preferences to enhance workflow efficiency and usability.

Steps To Setup Git using Git Config

Step 1: Install git

The first thing you have to do is install git in your system to proceed further. Follow these articles according to your system.

• Install Git on Windows
• Install Git on Linux
• Install Git on Mac

Step 2: Check for git version

Now, if you have successfully installed Git, you can verify and check its version using the following command.

git --version

Step 3: Set global username

Set your name for all repositories using the command

git config --global user.name 'username'

Set global username

Step 4: Set global email

Set your email for all repositories by using the command

git config --global user.email 'user email'

Set global email

Step 5: Set local username and email

Set your name for the current repository before that you have to initialize a empty git repository. And then set the username and email.

git init
git config --local user.name 'username'
git config --local user.email 'email'

Set local username

Set local email

Step 6: Configuring the Default Branch Name

By default, Git used to initialize repositories with the master branch. You can change this to main or any preferred name.

git config --global init.defaultBranch main

Set default branch name

Step 7: Create an alias for a command

Git aliases allow you to shorten commonly used commands. Allowing git st instead of git status to work the same

Create an alias for a command

Step 8: View all configurations

Shows all Git settings that have been made by the current user

git config --list

View all configurations

Step 9: Removing or Resetting Configurations

If you need to remove or reset any configurations, use:

git config --global --unset user.email

Or reset all settings to default:

rm ~/.gitconfig # For Linux/Mac
del %USERPROFILE%.gitconfig # For Windows