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Setting Up Git

Updated Aug 19, 2022 ·

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.