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How to Set Up Git Username and Email on Ubuntu

Richard
Written by
Richard
Jan 25, 2024 Updated Jul 13, 2026 3 min read
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Setting up your Git username and email on Ubuntu connects your identity to code changes you make.

Git is a tool that tracks every change to your project files, like a digital history book for your code. When you save a change (called a “commit”), Git adds your username and email to that saved version.

This ensures everyone knows who made what changes, which is super important when working with others on platforms like GitHub. You’ll see your name next to every update you send.

Getting this right on Ubuntu means your contributions are always credited correctly, especially when you’re part of a team.

⚡ Quick Answer

Configure your Git username and email on Ubuntu using the terminal. Run `git config –global user.name “Your Name”` and `git config –global user.email “your_email@example.com”` to set your global credentials.

Installing Git

Before we dive into setting your username and email, make sure Git is installed on your machine. If it’s not, open your terminal and run this command:

🐧Bash / Shell
sudo apt update
sudo apt install git

Configure Git Username and Email

Once Git is ready, you can configure your username and email. This is done using the git config command.

This can be set globally or for a specific repository. To set your global commit name and email address, run the git config command with the --global option.

Setting your Global Username

Open your terminal.

Type the following command to set your global Git username:

💻Code
git config --global user.name "User_name" 

Replace "Your Name" with your name or the username you want to use for your Git commits.

Setting your Global Email Address

In the terminal, enter the following command to set your global email address:

💻Code
git config --global user.email "your_email@example.com" 
📝Good to Know
Replace "your_email@example.com" with your actual email address. This should be the email address linked to your Git or GitHub account.

Setting Username and Email for a Single Repository

It’s possible to set your Git username and email for just one specific project folder on Ubuntu. This is useful if you want to use different details for different projects. Open your project folder in the terminal and use the ‘git config’ command to add your name and email for that particular project.

Navigate to the project directory:

Command Prompt
cd path/to/your/project 

Set the local username for this repository:

💻Code
git config user.name "Project Specific Name" 

Set the local email address for this repository:

💻Code
git config user.email "project_specific_email@example.com" 

Verifying your Configuration

After configuring your username and email, check your settings with the git config --list command.

💻Code
git config --list

This will show all your Git configuration settings. Look for user.name and user.email to verify your configurations.

Checking Global Configuration

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

Checking Local Configuration

After you set your Git username and email for a specific project on Ubuntu, it's smart to check if they were saved correctly. You can do this right in the terminal. Type git config user.name to see your username and git config user.email to see your email for that project.

Once the information is correct, your Git setup is complete. Any commits you make from now on will use your configured username and email address.

If you ever need to change these settings, run the git config command again with your new values.

That's it!

Conclusion:

  • Configuring your Git username and email is crucial for ensuring proper attribution of your commits
  • The proper contact information associated with your commits can facilitate communication with other developers
  • Installing Git and configuring your username and email are essential steps for a smooth Git setup on Ubuntu Linux

Can we change Git config username and email?

You can change the name that is associated with your Git commits using the git config command. The new name you set will be visible in any future commits you push to GitHub from the command line.

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Richard

About the Author

Richard

Tech Writer, IT Professional

Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.

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