Git Line Ending Control Guide

Git Line Ending Control Guide | Generated by AI

Home 2025.09

git config core.autocrlf controls how Git handles line endings when you check files out of the repository and when you commit them back in. It matters because Windows uses CRLF (\r\n) for line endings, while Linux and macOS use LF (\n). Without handling, files may flip between formats depending on who edits them, leading to “dirty” diffs and unnecessary changes.

How it Works

When checking out (reading) a file, Git may convert line endings to match your OS convention (so they look natural in your editor).
When committing (writing) a file, Git may convert line endings back to LF (the cross-platform standard in repos).

Settings

You set it with:

git config --global core.autocrlf <value>

The common values:

true Convert LF → CRLF on checkout, and CRLF → LF on commit. Best for Windows developers editing code in Windows editors.
input Do not modify files on checkout, but convert CRLF → LF on commit. Best for Linux/macOS developers to ensure LF-only repos.
false No conversion at all. Git stores and checks out files exactly as-is. Best if your team/editor consistently handles line endings.

Typical Recommendations

Windows:
```
git config --global core.autocrlf true
```

Linux/macOS:

git config --global core.autocrlf input

For mixed teams, it’s also good to add a .gitattributes file in the repo to enforce consistent line endings, e.g.:

* text=auto

Do you want me to also show you a recommended .gitattributes setup that works well for cross-platform teams (so you don’t rely only on core.autocrlf)?

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