Getting Started With Git
Git is the industry-standard version control system used by developers worldwide. It tracks every change you make to your code, lets you undo mistakes, and makes collaboration possible. Before you can use Git, you need to install it and tell it who you are.
Why Configure Your Identity?
Every commit you make in Git records who made the change. This matters when you work with others — everyone needs to know who wrote what. Even for solo projects, having your name attached to commits creates a professional history of your work.
Git stores this identity globally on your computer, so you only need to set it up once.
Installing Git
Download Git from git-scm.com and run the installer. Accept the default options — they work well for most developers.
Alternatively, if you have Windows Package Manager installed:
The easiest way is through Xcode Command Line Tools, which you may already have:
If you use Homebrew, you can also run brew install git.
Use your distribution's package manager:
On Fedora, use sudo dnf install git. On Arch, use sudo pacman -S git.
Configuring Your Identity
After installation, open your terminal and run these two commands:
Replace "Your Name" with your actual name and use a real email address. The --global flag means this applies to all your projects.
Verifying Your Setup
Confirm everything works by checking the installed version:
Any recent version works fine. You're now ready to start tracking your code.