1 Setting up git on your computer

MacOSX and Linux computers all come with git pre-install, but not always directly usable. The best way to test if git is ready to use is at the command line:

git --version

## git version 2.17.2 (Apple Git-113)

It should return something like above. *If you get an error, you will have to install git**

Windows users will have to install a software called git bash before being able to use git.

1.1 Installing git

You can download a copy of git here: https://git-scm.com/downloads and follow the instructions.

1.1.1 Windows

You can keep the options to default during the installation, until you reach Configuring the terminal emulator to use with Git Bash -> be sure Use MinTTY is selected. This will install both git and a set of useful command-line tools using a trimmed down Bash shell.

1.1.2 Mac OSX

Depending on the version, you might have to run few commands from the terminal. Please refer to the README.txt that comes with the download regarding the exact steps to follow.

1.2 Setting up your `git` identity

Before you start using git on any computer, you will have to set your identity on your system, as every snapshot of files is associated with the user whom implemented the modifications to the file(s).

Open the Terminal or git bash and then type the following commands.

1.2.1 Setup your profile

Your name and email:

git config --global user.name "your Full Name"
git config --global user.email "your Email"

1.2.2 Optional

Check that everything is correct:

git config --global --list

Modify everything at the same time:

git config --global --edit

Set your text editor:

git config --system core.editor nano

Here nano is used as example; you can choose most of the text editor you might have installed on your computer (atom, sublime, notepad++ …).

Problem with any of those steps? Check out Jenny Brian [Happy git trouble shooting section] (http://happygitwithr.com/troubleshooting.html){target=“_blank“}

1.3 Linking git and RStudio

In most of the cases, RStudio should automatically detect git when it is installed on your computer. The best way to check this is to go to the Tools menu -> Global Options and click on git/SVN

If git is properly setup, the window should look like this:

Click OK.

Note: if git was not enabled, you might be asked to restart RStudio to enable it.

Setting up git on your computer

NCEAS