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git config (user.name, user.email, core.editor)

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git config (user.name, user.email, core.editor)

git config is the front end to Git’s layered key/value settings; three keys matter most up front — user.name and user.email (commit identity) and core.editor (the editor Git opens for messages).

Why it matters

user.name/user.email are stamped permanently into every commit you author and cannot be changed later without rewriting history. The email is also how GitHub links commits to your account — a mismatched address means your commits show as an unknown author with no avatar. core.editor decides what opens when you run git commit with no -m; an unset value can drop you into vim unexpectedly.

How it works

Settings live in INI files across three scopes; the most specific wins:

ScopeFlagFileWins
system--system/etc/gitconfiglowest
global--global~/.gitconfigper-user
local(default).git/confighighest

Common operations:

git config --global user.name  "Ada Lovelace"
git config --global user.email "ada@users.noreply.github.com"   # privacy
git config --global core.editor "code --wait"                   # VS Code
git config --get user.email                                     # read one
git config --list --show-origin                                 # all + source
git config --global --unset core.editor                         # remove

Use GitHub’s …@users.noreply.github.com address to keep your real email out of public history while still attributing correctly. The --wait flag is essential for GUI editors — without it Git thinks the editor closed instantly and aborts. See installing-and-configuring-git for the full first-run set.

Example

Per-project identity override (work vs personal) without touching globals:

~/work/api $ git config user.email "ada@corp.com"     # local scope
~/work/api $ git config --get user.email              → ada@corp.com
~/oss/lib $ git config --get user.email               → ada@users.noreply.github.com

core.editor "code --wait" then makes git commit (no -m) open VS Code; saving and closing the tab finalizes the message.

Pitfalls

  • GUI editor without --wait — Git sees an instant exit and commits an empty/aborted message.
  • Committing with the wrong email — already-made commits keep it; only —amend/rebase can fix, and that rewrites hashes.
  • Setting identity local-only on one repo — every other repo still uses the system default; prefer --global as the baseline.
  • $EDITOR vs core.editor confusion — Git prefers core.editor, then GIT_EDITOR, then $VISUAL/$EDITOR; set the one you expect.

See also

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