EndBug/add-and-commit "Author identity unknown"
git refuses to commit without an author. When add-and-commit cannot derive a name/email and none is configured, it fails with "Author identity unknown".
What this error means
The add-and-commit step fails with "Author identity unknown" and "Please tell me who you are".
github-actions
Author identity unknown
*** Please tell me who you are.
fatal: unable to auto-detect email addressCommon causes
No author configured
No author input was set and no global git user is configured on the runner.
Default author disabled
The action default_author was changed to a value that does not resolve to a real identity.
How to fix it
Set author name and email
- Provide author_name and author_email inputs, or set default_author to github_actions.
- Re-run; the commit now has a valid author.
.github/workflows/commit.yml
- uses: EndBug/add-and-commit@v9
with:
default_author: github_actions
message: 'chore: update generated files'How to prevent it
- Set default_author: github_actions for bot commits.
- Configure git user.name/user.email in a setup step if multiple commit actions run.
Frequently asked questions
What causes ""Author identity unknown""?
No author input was set and no global git user is configured on the runner.
How do I fix "Author identity unknown"?
Set author name and email
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