Multiple Git User Configs

If you already have Git configured you perhaps didn't use your student email. That's okay, there are multiple ways to solve this. Beneath are three different solutions. These should be more than enough but if you don't think any of them will suit you you can find some inspiration here.

1. Change Github settings

Probably the easiest way is to change your git config --global user.email to your student email and change your primary email on Github to your student email as well.

git config --global user.email 'st123id@student.lnu.se'

:warning: Replace st123id with your student id.

2. Create a local config

You can save the email for each school repository. This is a tedious process but it works.

Notice that --global is missing.

git config user.email 'st123id@student.lnu.se'

:warning: Replace st123id with your student id.

3. Conditional includes

If you don't mind keeping all your projects as subfolders in a "school" directory you can use conditional includes to use different users depending on your current folder.

Step 1: Create your main directory

In this example, it will be called school and will be in the current user's home directory (~). But you can call it whatever and place it wherever. Just keep in mind that you have to change the paths. All repositories within this directory will use your school user.

mkdir ~/school

Step 2: Create the config file

Here you will store your name and email.

Create the file

touch ~/school/.gitconfig

Open the file

You can use any text editor you want. If you're using Visual Studio Code you can run the following command to open the file.

code ~/school/.gitconfig

Using a Mac? You need to install the code command first. It's quickly done by open the Command Palette in Visual Studio Code (F1 or ⇧⌘P on Mac) and type shell command to find the Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH command. You might need to restart your Terminal for the changes to take effect.

Step 3: Add your information

Add the following to your .gitconfig file and save.

[user]
  name = Your Name
  email = st123id@student.lnu.se

:warning: Replace st123id with your student id and Your Name with your actual name.

Step 4: Edit your global .gitconfig

Open your global .gitconfig in a text editor. For this example, I'll continue using Visual Studio Code.

code ~/.gitconfig

Add the following at the bottom of the file and save.

[includeIf "gitdir:~/school/"]
  path = ~/school/.gitconfig

:warning: Change the path if you chose another name or folder structure. Make sure to keep the last / to include all subfolders.

Step 5: All done!

Now all repositories that are within school or any subfolder will use the configs that you added in ~/school/.gitconfig.