# `Author identity unknown *** Please tell me who you are.`

**Where it appears:** Terminal

**What it means:** Git needs a name and email address to label your commits, and they haven't been set on this computer yet.

## Likely causes

- This is the first commit on a new computer before `git config --global` has been set.
- The GitHub setup step that sets your `noreply` email was skipped.

## Message for your agent

```text
Git says `Author identity unknown`. Get my GitHub username and ID from `gh api user`, set my global `user.name` and private `@users.noreply.github.com` email, and retry the commit.
```

**Prevention:** Set `--global` Git name and GitHub's `noreply` email once during initial setup.

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Source: [Agentic Makers](https://agenticmakers.app/en/help/errors/git-author-identity-unknown-please-tell-me-who-you-are) · License: CC BY 4.0