How to Take Personal Emails Out of Commits on Git

Writing Commit History Again with Git Filter-Branch

Using Git and Shell Scripting

#!/bin/sh

# Ensure you have a clean working directory
git checkout main

# Rewrite the commit history to change the author email
git filter-branch --env-filter \
'
OLD_EMAIL="my.personal@email.me"
CORRECT_NAME="My Username"
CORRECT_EMAIL="12345678+username@users.noreply.github.com"
if [ "$GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL" = "$OLD_EMAIL" ]
then
    export GIT_COMMITTER_NAME="$CORRECT_NAME"
    export GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL="$CORRECT_EMAIL"
fi
if [ "$GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL" = "$OLD_EMAIL" ]
then
    export GIT_AUTHOR_NAME="$CORRECT_NAME"
    export GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL="$CORRECT_EMAIL"
fi
' --tag-name-filter cat -- --branches --tags

# Force push the changes to the repository
git push --force --tags origin 'refs/heads/*'

Employing BFG Repo-Cleaner to Remove Emails More Easily

Using BFG Repo-Cleaner with Java

# Download BFG Repo-Cleaner
wget https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/com/madgag/bfg/1.13.0/bfg-1.13.0.jar

# Run BFG to replace the old email with the new one
java -jar bfg-1.13.0.jar --replace-text 'my.personal@email.me==12345678+username@users.noreply.github.com' .

# Cleanup and perform garbage collection
git reflog expire --expire=now --all && git gc --prune=now --aggressive

# Push the changes to the remote repository
git push --force

Changing the email address on the last commit

Using the Git Command Line for Easy Modification

# Change the email for the last commit
git commit --amend --author="My Username <12345678+username@users.noreply.github.com>"

# Push the amended commit to the repository
git push --force

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Git Commit Email Privacy

1. How can I make sure that future commits don't reveal my email address?
2. In your Git settings, set your email to username@users.noreply.github.com.
3. Can I modify an email that has already been pushed?
4. Yes, you may modify the email and rewrite the commit history using git filter-branch or BFG Repo-Cleaner.
5. How can I most easily hide my email address from future commits?
6. Set the email address associated with your Git client to username@users.noreply.github.com and setup your GitHub account to utilize a private email.
7. Does a commit's history alter when it is amended?
8. It is true that git commit --amend modifies the most recent commit, which can be pushed with force to keep the repository up to date.
9. Can the maintainers of the repository edit the details of my commit?
10. Maintainers can enforce privacy standards for future commits, but they have limited capacity to affect the history of commits.
11. Is it safe to change the history of a commit?
12. Rewriting history should be done cautiously, ideally in a controlled setting, as it can negatively impact teamwork.
13. What effects do force-push modifications have?
14. Pushing too hard can erase past events, which could be confusing to partners. Make sure you explain well before pushing too hard.
15. Is it possible for an entire organization to ensure email privacy?
16. To protect email privacy, GitHub organizations can, in fact, implement regulations and make use of tools like pre-commit hooks.
17. What are pre-commit hooks?
18. Pre-commit hooks are scripts that execute in advance of a commit to make sure it satisfies specific requirements, such as the use of a private email.

Final Words on Git Commits' Email Privacy

It's crucial to protect your personal data, especially when adding to public repositories. You may successfully delete personal information from commit history by using tools like git filter-branch and BFG Repo-Cleaner and by changing your Git settings to use a private address. Repository maintainers can support privacy policies even while they have limited ability to change information that has been committed. In order to prevent confusion, always make sure that your team is informed of any history rewrites. By using these techniques, you can contribute to open-source projects without compromising your privacy.