Git Installation Guide

Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes in any set of computer files, usually used for coordinating work among programmers who are collaboratively developing source code during software development.

Prerequisites

• A system running Windows, macOS, or Linux
• Administrative/sudo privileges
• Terminal/Command Prompt access
• Internet connection for downloading packages

Installation Instructions

# Update package list
sudo apt update
 
# Install Git
sudo apt install git -y

Post-Installation Configuration

After installing Git, configure your identity:

# Set your name
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
 
# Set your email
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"
 
# Set default branch name
git config --global init.defaultBranch main
 
# Configure default text editor (optional)
git config --global core.editor "vim"  # or nano, code, etc.

Verification

Verify the installation by checking the Git version:

git --version

Common Configuration Options

Setting Up SSH Keys

1. Generate SSH key:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your.email@example.com"

2. Start SSH agent:

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

3. Add SSH key to agent:

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Configuring Git Credentials Helper

# For Windows
git config --global credential.helper wincred
 
# For macOS
git config --global credential.helper osxkeychain
 
# For Linux
git config --global credential.helper cache

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Git not found after installation

   • Ensure Git is added to your system's PATH
   • Try closing and reopening your terminal
   • For Windows, run the installer again and select "Add to PATH" option

2. Permission denied errors

   • Check if you have the necessary permissions
   • Ensure SSH keys are properly set up
   • Verify remote repository permissions

3. SSL Certificate Errors

   • Update your system's SSL certificates
   • For Windows: Update Git for Windows
   • For Linux: Update ca-certificates package

Security Considerations

1. Keep Git updated to the latest version for security patches
2. Use SSH keys instead of passwords when possible
3. Enable two-factor authentication on Git hosting platforms
4. Regularly rotate access tokens and credentials
5. Avoid storing sensitive information in Git repositories

Additional Resources

• Official Git Documentation
• Git Book
• GitHub Guides
• GitLab Documentation