Every snapshot Git saves carries a name and an email, like a signature. You set them one time per computer. We also pick a default branch name and talk about main vs master.
user.nameuser.emailinit.defaultBranch
Config Builder
type, then copy
Open Git Bash first (Windows) or Terminal (macOS, Linux); the commands below are typed there. Editor is what opens when you run git commit without -m.
Fill in the boxes. The commands below update as you type. Any email works for now. When you make a GitHub account later, you can use the same one, or the private no-reply address GitHub gives you.
main vs master
why two names
The old default
For years Git named the first branch master when you ran git init.
The common default now
GitHub and most projects now start with main. Setting init.defaultBranch makes your computer match, so you never have to rename it.
Either name works. The only rule: be consistent with the repository you push to.
Practice: configure Git
hands-on
Use your own name if you like. Any text works in this practice terminal.