Git and SSH

Install Git and set your name

Install Git and tell it who you are, so your commits are signed with your name.

Tested on macOS 26 Tahoe · Oct 2026
Tested on Ubuntu 24.04 · Oct 2026
Tested on Windows 11 24H2 · Oct 2026
Fill these in once
  1. Install Git
    Terminal
    brew install git

    No Homebrew yet? Run xcode-select --install instead.

  2. Set your name and email
    Terminal
    git config --global user.name "Ada Lovelace"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
  3. Name new branches "main"
    Terminal
    git config --global init.defaultBranch main

Check it worked

  1. See your settings
    Terminal
    git config --global --list
Undo it
  1. Remove your Git settings
    Terminal
    rm ~/.gitconfig
  1. Install GitNeeds sudo
    Terminal · Ubuntu / Debian
    sudo apt install -y git
  2. Set your name and email
    Terminal · Ubuntu / Debian
    git config --global user.name "Ada Lovelace"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
  3. Name new branches "main"
    Terminal · Ubuntu / Debian
    git config --global init.defaultBranch main

Check it worked

  1. See your settings
    Terminal · Ubuntu / Debian
    git config --global --list
Undo it
  1. Remove your Git settings
    Terminal · Ubuntu / Debian
    rm ~/.gitconfig
  1. Install Git
    PowerShell
    winget install --id Git.Git -e

    Close and reopen PowerShell afterwards so it can find git.

  2. Set your name and email
    PowerShell
    git config --global user.name "Ada Lovelace"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
  3. Name new branches "main"
    PowerShell
    git config --global init.defaultBranch main

Check it worked

  1. See your settings
    PowerShell
    git config --global --list
Undo it
  1. Remove your Git settings
    PowerShell
    Remove-Item "$env:USERPROFILE\.gitconfig"

New to Git? I explain it in plain English on Layman Terms.