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How do I make Git ignore file mode (chmod)?

Git is a powerful version control system that tracks changes in files. Sometimes, you may encounter situations where Git detects changes in file permissions (also known as file mode or chmod) even though you only care about the content of the files. This can clutter your commit history and cause unnecessary confusion. Fortunately, Git provides a way to ignore changes in file mode.

Configuring Git to Ignore File Mode Changes

To make Git ignore file mode changes, you need to configure the core.fileMode setting. This can be done on a global or repository-specific level.

Setting Globally

To apply this setting globally, use the following command:

git config --global core.fileMode false

This command tells Git to ignore file mode changes for all repositories on your system.

Setting for a Specific Repository

If you prefer to apply this setting to a specific repository, navigate to the repository directory and use the following command:

git config core.fileMode false

This command configures Git to ignore file mode changes only for the current repository.

Verifying the Configuration

To verify that the core.fileMode setting has been applied, you can check the Git configuration:

Global Configuration

To check the global configuration, use:

git config --global --get core.fileMode

Repository-Specific Configuration

To check the repository-specific configuration, navigate to the repository and use:

git config --get core.fileMode

Conclusion

Ignoring file mode changes in Git can help keep your commit history clean and focused on the actual content changes. By configuring the core.fileMode setting either globally or on a per-repository basis, you can ensure that Git will no longer track file permission changes.

For more information on Git configuration and other useful settings, refer to the official Git documentation.