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Configuring Text Editor for Git

Git allows you to set your preferred text editor as the default editor for various tasks, such as writing commit messages. This tutorial will guide you through the process of setting your preferred text editor as the default editor for Git.

Step 1: Open a Terminal​

First, open a terminal on your system. If you're on Windows, you can use Git Bash which was installed with Git.

Step 2: Set Your Preferred Editor​

The command to set your preferred editor varies depending on the text editor you wish to use. Here are the commands for some common text editors:

  • Vim
git config --global core.editor "vim"
  • Nano
git config --global core.editor "nano"
  • Emacs
git config --global core.editor "emacs"
  • VS Code
git config --global core.editor "code --wait"

Replace the command with the one for your preferred text editor.

Step 3: Verify Your Configuration​

You can verify your new configuration by using the git config --list command. This will display a list of all settings. Your chosen editor should be listed as core.editor.

git config --list

Conclusion​

Congratulations! You've successfully configured your preferred text editor for Git. This editor will be used by default for tasks such as writing commit messages. Remember, you can change this setting at any time by using the git config command again. In the next parts of this tutorial, you'll learn more about using Git in your software development projects.