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Git config

The git config command is used to configure Git settings, including user information, repository-specific settings, and system-wide configurations. These configurations help customize how Git behaves in different scenarios, like defining who commits to the repository, setting editor preferences, and more.

Global, Local, and System Configurations​

Git settings can be configured at three levels:

  • System: Applies to all users on the system.
  • Global: Applies to the current user across all repositories.
  • Local: Applies only to a specific repository.

The precedence order is:

  • Local settings override Global settings.
  • Global settings override System settings.

Syntax of git config Command​

The basic syntax for git config is:

git config [<options>] <key> <value>
  • <options>: Specific flags or arguments for configuration.
  • <key>: The configuration key to be set (e.g., user.name).
  • <value>: The value to be assigned to the key (e.g., John Doe).

Configuring Git at Different Levels​

We can configure Git at various levels using git config. Here's how each level works:

Local Configuration​

This is repository-specific. Settings are stored in the .git/config file inside the repository directory.

To set a local configuration, run:

git config --local <key> <value>

Example:

git config --local user.name "John Doe"

Global Configuration​

This applies to all repositories for the current user. Settings are stored in the ~/.gitconfig file in the user’s home directory.

To set a global configuration, run:

git config --global <key> <value>

Example:

git config --global user.email "john.doe@example.com"

System Configuration​

This is system-wide configuration that affects all users on the machine. Settings are stored in /etc/gitconfig (for Linux/macOS) or C:\ProgramData\Git\config (for Windows).

To set a system configuration, run:

git config --system <key> <value>

Example:

git config --system core.autocrlf true

Note: Changing system-level settings may require administrative privileges.

Common Git Configurations​

Here are some common configurations we may need to use frequently:

User Information​

  • User Name: Defines the name Git will associate with commits.

    git config --global user.name "John Doe"

  • User Email: Defines the email Git will associate with commits.

    git config --global user.email "john.doe@example.com"

Editor Configuration​

Git uses a text editor for commit messages, rebasing, merging, etc. We can set a preferred editor.

  • Set default editor to VSCode:

    git config --global core.editor "code --wait"

  • Set default editor to Vim:

    git config --global core.editor "vim"

Line Ending Handling​

Git has settings for handling line endings, especially when working with multiple operating systems.

  • core.autocrlf: Converts line endings on commit/check-out.

    • true: Automatically converts line endings to LF on commit and to CRLF on checkout (Windows).
    • input: Converts line endings to LF on commit but doesn’t change line endings on checkout (Linux/macOS).
    • false: No automatic conversion (used for Unix-based systems).

    Example for Windows users:

    git config --global core.autocrlf true

Color Output​

Git has colored output for better visibility. It can be configured using color.ui.

  • Enable colored output: 
    git config --global color.ui auto

Aliases​

Git allows us to create aliases for commands to reduce typing.

  • Example: Set an alias for git status to git st:

    git config --global alias.st status

  • List all aliases:

    git config --global --get-regexp alias

Viewing and Modifying Configuration​

We can use git config to view the current settings or modify them.

View Configuration​

  • View all settings (from all levels): 
    git config --list
  • View a specific setting: 
    git config <key>

Example:

git config user.name

Edit Configuration Manually​

We can directly edit the configuration files using a text editor.

  • Global config:

    vim ~/.gitconfig

  • Local config (inside a repository):

    vim .git/config

Unset Configuration​

We can remove specific configurations using --unset.

  • Remove a specific configuration:

    git config --global --unset user.name

  • Remove a configuration from the local repository:

    git config --local --unset user.name

Git Config Command Options​

Here are some options that we can use with git config:

  • --global: Apply the configuration globally for the current user.
  • --local: Apply the configuration only to the current repository.
  • --system: Apply the configuration for all users on the system.
  • --list: List all the settings (including global and local).
  • --get: Get the value of a specific configuration key.
  • --get-all: Get all values for a particular key.
  • --unset: Unset a particular configuration key.
  • --edit: Edit the configuration file using the default editor.

Examples of Practical Configurations​

  • Set user information globally:

    git config --global user.name "Alice"
    git config --global user.email "alice@example.com"

  • Set color output:

    git config --global color.ui auto

  • Set default editor to Nano:

    git config --global core.editor "nano"

  • Create an alias for git log:

    git config --global alias.lg "log --oneline --graph --all"

Configuration Files​

  • ~/.gitconfig (Global Config): This file stores global Git configuration for the user. It is typically located in the user's home directory.

  • .git/config (Local Config): This file stores configuration for a specific repository, inside the .git folder of the repository.

  • /etc/gitconfig (System Config): This file contains system-wide Git configuration and is applied to all users on the system.