Git commits not displaying my GitHub username in repository history

[John_Fast]

I’m having trouble with my commit author information on GitHub

I set up a new GitHub account and created a repository through the web interface. After cloning it locally, I’ve been making changes and pushing commits, but my username doesn’t appear properly in the commit history.

Here’s my typical workflow:

git clone https://github.com/myaccount/my-project.git
cd my-project
echo "Hello World" > welcome.txt
git add welcome.txt
git commit -m "initial file upload"
git push origin main

When I check the repository on GitHub’s website, the commits show up but without my proper username displayed. Instead of seeing my GitHub username as the author, it shows something else or appears blank.

What configuration do I need to set up so that my GitHub username appears correctly when I make commits from the terminal?

I want other people who view my repository to see that I’m the one making these changes. Any help would be great!

[lucask]

This happens all the time when you switch to a new dev environment. Your local Git doesn’t know anything about your GitHub account, so it’s either using some old default config or nothing at all.

I hit the same issue when I got a new machine last year. You just need to configure your Git identity locally - tell Git your name and email that matches your GitHub account.

Here’s the part that trips people up: the email has to match exactly what’s in your GitHub account settings. Even one typo and GitHub won’t link your commits to your profile. Check your GitHub email under account settings if you’re not sure.

Once you’ve set everything up, run git config --list to double-check it’s all correct. Saved me from screwing it up twice when I botched the email the first time.

[omarR_85]

The Problem:

You’re experiencing an issue where your Git commits don’t show your correct GitHub username and email address. This means that your contributions aren’t properly attributed to your GitHub profile. The commits might display a blank author, an incorrect name, or an outdated email address. This usually happens because your local Git configuration doesn’t match your GitHub account information.

TL;DR: The Quick Fix:

Configure your Git username and email globally using these commands in your terminal:

git config --global user.name "YourGitHubUsername"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

Replace "YourGitHubUsername" with your actual GitHub username and "[email protected]" with the email address associated with your GitHub account. Crucially, ensure this email address exactly matches a verified email address listed in your GitHub account settings.

Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):

Git uses the user.name and user.email settings to identify the author of each commit. When you push your commits to GitHub, GitHub uses this information to link the commits to your profile. If your local Git configuration doesn’t match your GitHub profile, GitHub can’t correctly attribute the commits to you. The --global flag ensures this configuration applies to all your Git repositories. If you omit --global, it only affects the current repository.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Verify Your GitHub Email: Go to your GitHub account settings and check the email addresses listed under “Emails.” Make absolutely sure you use one of these verified addresses in the next step.

2. Configure Git User Information: Open your terminal and run the following commands, replacing the placeholders with your GitHub username and verified email address:

   git config --global user.name "YourGitHubUsername"
   git config --global user.email "[email protected]"
   

3. Verify the Configuration: Run the following commands to double-check that your Git configuration is correct:

   git config user.name
   git config user.email
   

   The output should match the username and email you set in the previous step.

4. Create a Test Commit: Make a small change to one of your files, commit the change, and push it to GitHub. This will verify that the new Git configuration is working correctly and your updated username and email address appear on your GitHub commits.

Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:

• Email Address Mismatch: The most common mistake is using an incorrect email address or a non-verified email address. Double-check your GitHub settings and make sure there are no typos in the email address you used in the git config command.
• Local vs. Global Configuration: If you didn’t use the --global flag, the configuration only applies to the current repository. If you want the change to affect all your repositories, use the --global flag.
• Cached Credentials: In rare cases, Git might be caching old credentials. Try restarting your terminal or your computer after making the changes.

Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!

[sophiac]

Had the same issue when I started using Git for work. It’s definitely the config mismatch between your local setup and GitHub. What threw me was that GitHub links commits to your profile using your email, not just username. Wrong email means no avatar or profile link, even with the right username. Quick tip - if you’ve got multiple emails on your GitHub account, any of them work for linking commits. Check which ones are verified in your GitHub settings under emails. To see your current setup, run git config user.name and git config user.email (no flags). If nothing shows up, that’s why your commits aren’t showing proper attribution. This only affects future commits, so don’t panic if recent ones still look off after fixing the config. New commits should display correctly once everything’s set up right.