+++
title = "1.17 breaking changes episode 1: preserving a custom gitconfig"
date = 2022-06-22
description = "The location of the gitconfig file used by Gitea moved and custom modifications must be manually moved as well."
[taxonomies]
tags = ['gna', 'gitea', 'troubleshoot', 'problem', 'tutorial']

[extra]
author = 'dachary'
+++

Before version 1.17, when Gitea needed to change the [git configuration](https://git-scm.com/docs/git-config), it modified the `$HOME/.gitconfig` file. For instance it would [set core.quotePath to false](https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/blob/release/v1.16/modules/git/git.go#L174-L177):

```ini
[core]
	quotePath = false
```

When installing Gitea [from docker](https://docs.gitea.io/en-us/install-with-docker/) or [rootless](https://docs.gitea.io/en-us/install-with-docker-rootless/) or even [from binary](https://docs.gitea.io/en-us/install-from-binary/) this `$HOME/.gitconfig` file belongs to a user that is [dedicated to Gitea](https://docs.gitea.io/en-us/install-from-binary/#prepare-environment) and not used by anyone else.

However, if an Gitea installation was done differently and `$HOME/.gitconfig` has been customized because it is shared by a user or another application, there is a good chance that manual modifications were done such as:

```ini
[user]
	name = Jane Doe
	email = jane@doe.com
```

It is also possible that the file was modified manually by the Gitea admin for other reasons. In both there is a **potential for breakage when upgrading to Gitea >= 1.17 because the location of the file changed**. It must be moved manually to the new location as follows:

* Figure out the directory where `$HOME/.gitconfig` must be moved by [running the doctor](https://gna.org/blog/gentle-introduction-to-the-doctor/):

```shell
$ gitea --work-path /app/gitea -c /data/gitea/conf/app.ini doctor 
[1] Check paths and basic configuration
 - [I] Configuration File Path:    "/data/gitea/conf/app.ini"
 - [I] Repository Root Path:       "/data/git/repositories"
 - [I] Data Root Path:             "/data/gitea"
 - [I] Custom File Root Path:      "/data/gitea"
 - [I] Work directory:             "/app/gitea"
 - [I] Log Root Path:              "/data/gitea/log"
OK
```

* Copy the `$HOME/.gitconfig` file to the **Repository Root Path** (which is `/data/git/repositories` in the example above).

The reason why this breaking change was introduced is to workaround [a rare problem](https://gna.org/blog/unsafe-repository-is-owned-by-someone-else/) impacting Gitea installations relying on networked volumes.