git-config

What this skill does

# Git Configuration

Comprehensive guidance for configuring Git beyond basic installation. This skill covers global configuration, performance optimization, aliases, credential management, maintenance, and advanced configuration topics.

## Table of Contents

- [Overview](#overview)
- [When to Use](#when-to-use-this-skill)
- [Quick Start](#quick-start)
- [Configuration Files](#configuration-file-locations)
- [Global Settings](#global-configuration-settings)
- [Rerere](#managing-rerere-reuse-recorded-resolution)
- [Line Endings](#line-ending-strategy-defense-in-depth)
- [Aliases](#aliases)
- [Clone Shortcuts](#clone-shortcuts)
- [Repository-Level Config](#repository-level-configuration)
- [Maintenance](#maintenance)
- [Git Attributes](#git-attributes)
- [Credentials](#git-credential-management)
- [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
- [Test Scenarios](#test-scenarios)

## Overview

This skill helps you:

- Configure Git globally for optimal performance and workflow
- Set up powerful aliases to streamline common operations
- Manage Git credentials securely (GitHub CLI, Windows Credential Manager)
- Configure `.gitattributes` for line ending control
- Enable Git maintenance for better repository performance
- Understand repository-level vs global configuration
- Troubleshoot common configuration issues

**For basic Git installation and setup**, see the **setup** skill.

## Example Use Cases

This skill activates for questions like:

- "How do I set up Git aliases for common operations?"
- "Configure Git to use GitHub CLI for authentication"
- "My Git is slow on large repos - how can I optimize performance?"
- "Set up .gitattributes for cross-platform development"
- "Enable Git background maintenance"
- "Troubleshoot 'refusing to allow OAuth App to create workflow' error"
- "Configure Git credential helpers on Windows"
- "Set up clone shortcuts for frequently-used repositories"
- "Configure rerere to remember merge conflict resolutions"

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

- Configuring Git beyond basic user identity
- Setting up aliases for common Git operations
- Optimizing Git performance (fsmonitor, untrackedCache, parallel operations)
- Managing Git credentials (HTTPS, SSH, token scopes)
- Setting up GitHub CLI as credential helper
- Configuring `.gitattributes` for cross-platform line ending control
- Enabling Git background maintenance
- Setting up clone shortcuts for frequently-used repositories
- Troubleshooting credential issues or line ending errors
- Understanding Git configuration hierarchy (system/global/local)

## Quick Start

**Most impactful configuration settings to apply immediately:**

```bash
# Performance improvements
git config --global core.fsmonitor true
git config --global core.untrackedCache true
git config --global fetch.parallel 8
git config --global checkout.workers 8

# Better pull/rebase workflow
git config --global pull.rebase true
git config --global rebase.autoStash true
git config --global rebase.updateRefs true

# Auto-prune deleted remote branches
git config --global fetch.prune true
git config --global fetch.pruneTags true

# Better merge conflict resolution
git config --global merge.conflictstyle zdiff3

# Auto-setup remote tracking on first push
git config --global push.autoSetupRemote true

# Better diff algorithm
git config --global diff.algorithm histogram
git config --global diff.colorMoved zebra

# Line ending safety check
git config --global core.safecrlf warn
```

---

## Quick Reference

Common Git configuration settings organized by category for quick lookup (performance, pull/rebase, fetch, push, diff, merge, line endings, sorting, maintenance).

**📚 Complete Quick Reference Table:** [references/quick-reference.md](references/quick-reference.md)

The quick reference table provides copy-paste commands for all common settings with category organization and purpose explanations.

---

## Configuration File Locations

For detailed information about Git configuration file locations, hierarchy, and viewing configuration, see [references/configuration-basics.md](references/configuration-basics.md).

**Quick summary:**

- **System**: `/etc/gitconfig` (or Git install dir on Windows) - All users
- **Global**: `~/.gitconfig` or `~/.config/git/config` - Current user
- **Local**: `.git/config` - Single repository only
- **Priority**: Local > Global > System

**View configuration:**

```bash
# View all configuration with source files
git config --list --show-origin

# View specific value
git config user.name
```

---

## Global Configuration Settings

These settings are cross-platform and recommended for all users. They should be set at the **global** level unless you need repository-specific overrides.

**Most Essential Settings (Quick Start):**

```bash
# Pull & rebase (cleaner history)
git config --global pull.rebase true
git config --global rebase.autoStash true

# Fetch (auto-prune deleted branches/tags)
git config --global fetch.prune true
git config --global fetch.pruneTags true
git config --global fetch.parallel 8

# Push (auto-setup remote tracking)
git config --global push.autoSetupRemote true

# Diff & merge (better algorithms and conflict display)
git config --global diff.algorithm histogram
git config --global diff.colorMoved zebra
git config --global merge.conflictstyle zdiff3

# Performance (filesystem monitoring)
git config --global core.fsmonitor true
git config --global core.untrackedCache true

# Sorting (newest first)
git config --global branch.sort -committerdate
git config --global tag.sort -taggerdate
```

**📚 Complete Global Configuration Guide:** [references/global-configuration.md](references/global-configuration.md)

Topics covered: Pull & rebase strategy, fetch strategy, push strategy, checkout/switch strategy, commit settings, status settings, diff settings, merge settings, rerere (conflict resolution memory), color settings, sorting, log settings, performance settings, submodule strategy, miscellaneous settings, and advanced configuration options.

---

## Managing rerere (Reuse Recorded Resolution)

Git's rerere feature remembers how you resolved merge conflicts and can reapply those resolutions automatically.

**Enable rerere:**

```bash
git config --global rerere.enabled true
git config --global rerere.autoUpdate true
```

**For detailed information about how rerere works, safety considerations, and management commands**, see [references/configuration-basics.md](references/configuration-basics.md#managing-rerere-reuse-recorded-resolution)

## Line Ending Strategy (Defense in Depth)

**Cross-platform line ending management uses a layered approach:**

1. **System level (autocrlf)**: Platform-specific default (Windows: `true`, macOS/Linux: `input`)
2. **Global level (safecrlf)**: Warns about MIXED endings (actual problems) but allows legitimate conversions
3. **Repository level (.gitattributes)**: Explicit control per file type

**Defense in depth:** These settings are **complementary, not conflicting**:

- `autocrlf` handles the conversion automatically
- `safecrlf=warn` warns about PROBLEMS (mixed line endings) but doesn't block .gitattributes conversions
- `.gitattributes` provides per-repo fine-grained control

**Important:** Don't use `safecrlf=true` when you have `.gitattributes` - it will block legitimate conversions and cause constant errors!

**Platform-specific autocrlf settings:**

- **Windows**: `git config --global core.autocrlf true` (converts LF→CRLF on checkout, CRLF→LF on commit)
- **macOS/Linux**: `git config --global core.autocrlf input` (converts CRLF→LF on commit, no conversion on checkout)
- **WSL**: `git config --global core.autocrlf input` (same as Linux)

**Global safecrlf setting (all platforms):**

```bash
# Warn about mixed line endings (safeguard against problems)
# Use 'warn' not 'true' - allows .gitattributes to work without constant errors
git config --global core.safecrlf warn
```

**For detailed .gitattributes setup and comprehensive line