config Git Command Guide

The git config command allows you to get and set configuration values that control Git’s behavior. It can set values at local, global, or system level, affecting repository settings, user identity, and Git’s operation.

git config Syntax:

git config [<options>] [<scope>] <name> [<value> [<value-pattern>]]
git config [<options>] [<scope>] --unset <name> [<value-pattern>]
git config [<options>] [<scope>] --unset-all <name> [<value-pattern>]
git config [<options>] <scope> --replace-all <name> <value> [<value-pattern>]
git config [<options>] <scope> --add <name> <value>
git config [<options>] <scope> --get <name> [<value-pattern>]
git config [<options>] <scope> --get-all <name> [<value-pattern>]
git config [<options>] <scope> --get-regexp <name-regex>
git config [<options>] [<scope>] --get-urlmatch <name> <URL>
git config [<options>] --unset-all <section> <key> [<value-pattern>]
git config [<options>] --rename-section <old-name> <new-name>
git config [<options>] --remove-section <name>
git config [<options>] <scope> --list [<pattern>]

Options:

Option	Description
—local	Read/write from local .git/config file (repository-specific)
—global	Read/write from ~/.gitconfig or ~/.config/git/config (user-specific)
—system	Read/write from $(prefix)/etc/gitconfig (system-wide)
—worktree	Read/write from .git/config.worktree (worktree-specific)
—file	Use given config file instead of default
—blob	Read config from given blob object
—get	Get value (optional, defaults to listing)
—get-all	Get all values that match key
—get-regexp	Get values for all keys matching regex
—get-urlmatch	Get value specific to given URL
—replace-all	Replace all matching values with given value
—add	Add new value without replacing
—unset	Remove matching values
—unset-all	Remove all values
—rename-section	Rename section
—remove-section	Remove section
—list	List all options
—type	Ensure value is of given type (bool, int, string, etc.)
—bool	Ensure value is bool
—int	Ensure value is int
—path	Ensure value is path relative to repository root
—expiry-date	Ensure value is expiry date
—color	Ensure value shows as color
—edit	Open config file in editor
—includes	Respect includes when looking up values
—no-includes	Don’t respect includes
—default	Provide default value when no match
—show-origin	Show origin of each config value
—show-scope	Show scope of each config value
—help	Display help

Parameters:

Parameter	Description
	Configuration scope (—local, —global, —system, etc.)
	Configuration key (section.key or section.subsection.key)
	Value to set
	Pattern to match for —get operations

Caution

Changing global config affects all repositories. System config changes affect all users on the system. Be careful with core settings that could break Git functionality.

git config Command Samples:

Set user name and email

git config --global user.name "John Doe"
git config --global user.email "john@example.com"

Sets the user identity for all repositories on this machine.

Get current configuration

git config --global user.name

Displays the globally configured user name.

List all configurations

git config --global --list

Shows all global configuration options.

Set default text editor

git config --global core.editor "vim"

Configures Vim as the default Git editor.

Set line ending behavior

git config --global core.autocrlf input

Converts CRLF to LF on commit but doesn’t convert on checkout.

Set push default behavior

git config --global push.default simple

Only pushes the current branch to its upstream counterpart.

View config with origins

git config --global --show-origin user.name

Shows where the user.name setting is defined.

Add multiple values to a key

git config --global --add remote.origin.fetch +refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*

Add additional fetch refs without removing existing ones.

Remove specific configuration

git config --global --unset core.editor

Removes the core.editor setting.

Set repository-specific config

git config --local core.repositoryformatversion 0

Sets a local repository setting.

Configure credential helper

git config --global credential.helper store

Stores credentials in plain text file for future use.

Check if a key exists

git config --get user.email || echo "No email configured"

Retrieves email if set, or provides default message.

Create alias

git config --global alias.co checkout
git config --global alias.br branch

Creates command aliases for shorter typing.

Configure diff and merge tools

git config --global diff.tool vimdiff
git config --global merge.tool vimdiff

Sets tools for viewing differences and resolving merges.

Tip

Use git config --list to see all current settings. --global affects all repositories, --local affects only current repository.

How do I configure my Git user name and email?

To configure your Git user name and email, use:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

How can I view all my Git configuration settings?

To view all your Git configuration settings, run:

git config --global --list

How do I change the default Git text editor?

To change the default Git text editor, execute:

git config --global core.editor "editor-name"

How can I set up a Git alias?

To set up a Git alias, use:

git config --global alias.alias-name "git command"

How do I see where a configuration value comes from?

To see where a configuration value comes from, run:

git config --global --show-origin setting.name

Applications of the git config command

1. Setting up initial Git configuration with user identity
2. Customizing Git behavior for different projects
3. Managing credential helpers for remote authentication
4. Creating aliases for frequently used commands
5. Configuring diff and merge tools for development workflow
6. Managing repository-specific settings for project requirements
7. Setting up system-wide Git configuration for teams