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git-identity

Configures local git commit author identity on a fresh repository checkout.

2|Updated Apr 5, 2026
Search Tags:#git#version control#repository setup#commit identity#author attribution#git config
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/witwave-ai/witwave --skill git-identity-witwave-ai
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: git-identity
Source: https://github.com/witwave-ai/witwave/tree/main/.agents/self/iris/.claude/skills/git-identity
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/witwave-ai/witwave --skill git-identity-witwave-ai

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Commits on a freshly cloned checkout fail with "Please tell me who you are" or get attributed to the wrong author because no local git identity is configured. This Skill pins a stable user.name and user.email to a single checkout so every commit lands with the correct attribution. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Local identity configuration: Sets user.name and user.email via git config scoped to one checkout, avoiding --global pollution of other repositories on the same volume. - Identity verification: Re-reads the config with git config --get to confirm the values match the agent's CLAUDE.md identity section. - Use Case: After an agent runs its first clone on an empty volume, it invokes this Skill before committing so the commit history shows the agent's own name and email instead of failing or falling through to an unrelated default. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to set the git identity on the checkout using the user.name and user.email values from its CLAUDE.md before making the first commit.

Frequently Asked Questions about git-identity

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I set git author name and email for one repository?▼

Run git config user.name and git config user.email inside the repository's working tree without the --global flag. This writes the identity to that repo's local .git/config only, leaving other checkouts untouched.

How to fix git commits attributed to the wrong author?▼

Check the current values with git config --get user.name and git config --get user.email, then re-run the set commands with the correct identity. Verify afterward that both getters print exactly the intended values.

Why does git commit fail with 'Please tell me who you are'?▼

Git aborts a commit when no author identity is configured locally or globally, which is common on fresh clones in containers with empty global config. Setting local user.name and user.email on the checkout resolves it.

Should I use git config --global for commit identity?▼

No, not on shared volumes. Global config bleeds into every other checkout on the machine, which can surprise other agents or operators. Local per-checkout config confines the identity to the intended repository.

Can I change the author for a single git commit?▼

Yes, use git commit --author to override the identity for one commit. That is a separate operation from this Skill, which only pins the persistent local identity for the whole checkout.

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