Configure Git to Autocorrect Your Fat Fingers

If you have ever mistyped a git command very close to an existing one you have likely seen this message.

❯ git chekout dev
git: 'chekout' is not a git command. See 'git --help'.

The most similar command is
        checkout

Automatically run the right one

What you might not have known is that you can configure git to just run this command for you.

# Gives you 0.1 seconds to respond
git config --global help.autocorrect 1

# Gives you 1 seconds to respond
git config --global help.autocorrect 10

# Gives you 5 seconds to respond
git config --global help.autocorrect 50

Fat Fingers Gone

Now when you typo a git command it will autmatically run after the configured number of tenths of a second.

❯ git chkout get-error
WARNING: You called a Git command named 'chkout', which does not exist. Continuing in 1.0 seconds, assuming that you meant 'checkout'. M       pages/blog/how-i-deploy-2021.md M       pages/hot_tips/001.md M       pages/templates/gratitude_card.html M       plugins/index.py M       plugins/publish_amp.py M       plugins/render_template_variables.py M       plugins/youtube.py M       requirements.txt M       static/index.html Switched to branch 'get-error'

My config

I'm rocking 10 for now just to see how I feel about it, but honestly I cannot think of a time that I have seen the original warning that was not what I wanted. This at least gives me some time to respond if I am unsure.

git config --global help.autocorrect 10