Setup & Configuration

• git version → Display the installed version of Git
• git help <command> → Get help for a specific command
• git config --global user.name "Your Name" → Set your username globally
• git config --global user.email "your@email.com" → Set your email globally
• git config --list → View all configurations

git version

Syntax : git version

• Description: The git version command is used to display the currently installed version of Git on your system.
• Usage: It helps verify installation, check compatibility, and troubleshoot issues when working with repositories.
• Think Tank: While git version is the most common usage, Git provides related flags:

• Best Practices:
  • Always run git --version after installation or upgrade
  • Keep Git updated to the latest stable release for security and performance
  • Document Git version in project setup guides to ensure team consistency
  • In CI/CD, log Git version for reproducibility and environment details

Git - git Documentation

git Documentation

git help

Usage   : git help [options] [<command>|<doc>]

Example : git help, git help merge, git help git

• Description: Displays help information about Git itself or specific Git subcommands.
• Usage: Running git help  with no arguments shows a synopsis of Git and a list of commonly used commands.
• Think Tank: The git help command has multiple options to customize how documentation is displayed:

• Best Practices:
  • Use git help <command> whenever unsure about syntax or options
  • Explore guides (git help -g) to understand Git concepts beyond commands
  • Prefer -w option if you find web-based documentation easier to read
  • Keep Git updated so your local documentation matches modern features

Git - git-help Documentation

git-help Documentation

git config

Syntax : git config [options] [section.key] [value]

User Identity:

git config --global user.name "Shubham Sihasane"
git config --global user.email shubhamsihasane@example.com

Default Editor:

git config --global core.editor "vim"

Aliases:

git config --global alias.st status
git config --global alias.co checkout

• Description: The git config command is used to set, get, and manage Git configuration variables that control Git’s behaviour.
• Usage: It allows you to customize Git at the system, global, and local repository levels, covering identity, editor preferences, line endings, aliases, and advanced workflows.
• Think Tank: Git supports three levels of configuration, applied in order of precedence:

👉 Precedence: Local > Global > System. If the same variable is set at multiple levels, the local value overrides global, which overrides system.

• Best Practices:
  • Always set user.name and user.email before committing
  • Use global aliases to speed up workflow
  • Configure line endings properly to avoid cross-platform issues
  • Regularly check with git config --list to ensure consistency
  • Avoid storing passwords directly; use credential helpers or SSH keys

Git - git-config Documentation

git-config Documentation