Git Config(s)

System level

Applied to every user on the system and all their repositories.

• to view, git config --list --system (may need sudo)
• to set, git config --system color.ui true
• to edit system config file: git config --edit --system

Global User level

Specific personally to you, the user.

• to view: git config --list --global
• to set: git config --global user.name xyz
• to edit global config file: git config --edit --global

Stored in any one of:

• ~.config/git/config
• ~.gitconfig

Repository level

Specific to that single repository.

• to view: git config --list --local
• to set: git config [--local] core.ignorecase true
• to edit repository config file: git config --edit [--local]

Set repo-specific (non-global) config settings:

git config user.name "Alex Sokolsky"
git config user.email "asokolsky@gmail.com"
git config core.sshCommand "ssh -i ~/.ssh/private_key"

Make sure your private identity is available:

ssh-add ~/.ssh/private_key

Then

git remote add origin git@github.com:asokolsky/repo.git
git push --set-upstream origin master

View All Settings

Show system, global, and (if inside a repository) local configs:

git config --list

To also show the origin file of each config item:

git config --list --show-origin

To get e.g. user.name:

git config user.name

You may also specify options --system, --global, --local to read that value at a particular level.

Best Practices - Global Config

Followed:

• Customizing Git Configuration.
• how-git-core-devs-configure-git

git config --global user.name "Alex Sokolsky"
git config --global user.email "asokolsky@gmail.com"
git config --global core.editor /usr/bin/emacs
git config --global core.excludesfile ~/.gitignore
git config --global core.pager ''
git config --global push.default current

where ~/.gitignore:

*~
.*.swp
.DS_Store

Example ~/.gitconfig:

# a matter of taste (uncomment if you dare)
[branch]
    # sort = -committerdate
    sort = committerdate
[column]
    ui = auto
[commit]
    verbose = true
[core]
    # fsmonitor = true
    # untrackedCache = true
    editor = emacs
    excludesfile = ~/.gitignore
[diff]
    algorithm = histogram
    colorMoved = true
    # colorMoved = plain
    mnemonicPrefix = true
    renames = true
[feature]
    experimental = true
[fetch]
    all = true
    prune = true
    pruneTags = true
[grep]
    patternType = perl
[help]
    autocorrect = prompt
[init]
    defaultBranch = main
[merge]
    # just 'diff3' if git version < 2.3
    conflictstyle = zdiff3
[pull]
    rebase = true
[push]
    default = simple
    autoSetupRemote = true
    followTags = true
[rebase]
    autoSquash = true
    autoStash = true
    updateRefs = true
[rerere]
    enabled = true
    autoupdate = true
[tag]
    sort = version:refname