Setting Up Git
Overview
This is a simple guide to install Git, set your preferences, and enable SSH authentication.
- Git install steps are different for Windows, Mac, and Linux
- You must set your name, email, and preferred text editor
- SSH lets you connect securely to remote Git servers
These steps will help you get Git ready to use, no matter what system you're on.
Install Git
Installing Git depends on the operating system you're using.
- Windows: Go to gitforwindows.org and run the installer
- Mac: Use Homebrew
- Ubuntu: Use APT package manager
On Mac:
brew install git
On Ubuntu:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install git -y
After that, run:
git --version
to check if Git is installed correctly. The goal is to ensure Git is ready for use on your computer.
Configure Git
You need to set your name and email so Git knows who you are.
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
You can also set your preferred text editor:
git config --global core.editor "vim"
Replace "vim" with nano, code (for VS Code), or subl (for Sublime), depending on what you use.
Set Up SSH Authentication
SSH allows Git to connect securely to remote repositories.
Step 1: Create SSH Key
You’ll be asked to name the key and optionally set a passphrase. Skip the passphrase if you want.
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "you@example.com"
Step 2: Start SSH Agent and Add Your Key
This keeps the key in memory so Git can use it automatically.
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
Step 3: Copy Public Key and Add It to Git Host
Show your public key:
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
Then:
- Log into GitLab, GitHub, or Bitbucket
- Go to your user profile settings
- Find SSH Keys and paste the public key
- Give it a title, set expiration (or leave blank), and save
Now Git uses this SSH key every time it connects to the repo. No need to enter your username and password each time.