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🟢 Configure Git

After installing Git, configure Git by setting your global user.name and user.email.

WHY?

Git records the name and email associated with each saved project change.

This information helps identify who made each change in a project history.

Configuring Git correctly makes local commits match the expected GitHub identity and keeps project history clear.

1. Open VS Code

Open your VS Code editor. We'll use the terminal available in VS Code.

2. Configure Git

First, Open a NEW VS Code Terminal

Use the VS Code menu to select Terminal / New Terminal.

NOTE: You may need to click the three dots to see all menu options. The VS Code menu starts: File, Edit, Selection, View, and the rest may be hidden behind three dots. Click the three dots (for more) as needed to expose and click on the Terminal menu option, then click on the New Terminal menu option.

WHY?

Opening a new terminal ensures the terminal knows about recently installed Git.

  • If Windows, always use a terminal type of PowerShell (powershell) or PowerShell Core (pwsh). Do NOT use the older Command Prompt.
  • If Mac/Linux, use your default terminal (typically zsh or bash).

Then, Run the Two Git Configuration Commands

In the terminal panel that opens at the bottom of VS Code,

  • type the first command, changing "Your Name" to use YOUR name/alias in quotes, and hit ENTER or RETURN, then
  • type the second command, changing youremail@example.com to the email you used for GitHub, and hit ENTER or RETURN.

NOTE: The name (or alias) will be publicly associated with your contributions on GitHub. Since GitHub is part of my professional portfolio, I use "Denise Case". If anonymity is required (or preferred), choose differently. You are never required to use your real name.

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

3. Verify Git Configuration

In the same terminal,

  • copy-and-paste the first command into the terminal and hit ENTER or RETURN to run it.
  • copy-and-paste the second command into the terminal and hit ENTER or RETURN to run it.

Verify that they correctly show your user.name and user.email. If not, repeat the configuration commands using the correct information.

git config --global user.name
git config --global user.email

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