Skip to main content

Git Setup and Configuration

Installation​

To start using Git, you'll need to install it on your local machine. Below are the installation instructions for various operating systems.

Windows​

  1. Download the Installer: Visit the Git for Windows website and download the latest version of the Git installer.
  2. Run the Installer: Open the downloaded .exe file and follow the installation wizard. You can typically accept the default settings.
  3. Verify Installation: After installation, open Git Bash or the Command Prompt and run the following command to verify Git is installed: 
    git --version

Mac​

  1. Using Homebrew: If you have Homebrew installed, you can easily install Git with the following command: 
    brew install git
  2. Verify Installation: Open the Terminal and run: 
    git --version

Linux​

For most Linux distributions, Git can be installed via the package manager.

  • Debian/Ubuntu:

    sudo apt update
    sudo apt install git

  • Fedora:

    sudo dnf install git

  • Arch Linux:

    sudo pacman -S git

  • Other Distributions: If your Linux distribution is not listed here, a quick Google search of your package manager command for Git should help you install.

Initial Configuration​

Following the installation of Git, it's essential to set up your user information. This information will be included in any operations you make, such as commits and merges.

  1. Set Your Name: 
    git config --global user.name "Your Name"
  2. Set Your Email: 
    git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"
  3. Verify Configuration: You can verify your user configuration any time by running: 
    git config --list

Conclusion​

With Git installed and configured, you are now ready to start using version control in your projects. In the next sections, we'll explore the fundemental Git commands and workflows that will help you manage your code effectively.