diff --git a/design/gs-git-init.pen b/design/gs-git-init.pen
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ddf305fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/design/gs-git-init.pen
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"children":[{"type":"frame","id":"gs_git_init_after","name":"Getting Started Vault — Git Initialized","x":0,"y":0,"width":600,"height":"fit_content(200)","fill":"#FFFFFF","layout":"vertical","gap":16,"padding":[32,32],"children":[{"type":"text","id":"gs_title","content":"After: Getting Started vault created","fontFamily":"Inter","fontSize":20,"fontWeight":"700","fill":"#111111"},{"type":"text","id":"gs_desc","content":"When a new Getting Started vault is created, it is automatically initialized as a git repo with an initial commit containing all sample files.","fontFamily":"Inter","fontSize":14,"lineHeight":1.5,"fill":"#555555"},{"type":"frame","id":"gs_terminal","name":"Git Log Output","width":"fill_container","height":"fit_content(80)","fill":"#1E1E1E","cornerRadius":[8,8,8,8],"padding":[16,16],"layout":"vertical","gap":4,"children":[{"type":"text","id":"gs_prompt","content":"$ git log --oneline","fontFamily":"JetBrains Mono, monospace","fontSize":12,"fill":"#AAAAAA"},{"type":"text","id":"gs_log","content":"a1b2c3d Initial vault setup","fontFamily":"JetBrains Mono, monospace","fontSize":12,"fill":"#66FF66"}]},{"type":"frame","id":"gs_details","name":"Details","width":"fill_container","layout":"vertical","gap":8,"children":[{"type":"text","id":"gs_detail1","content":"git init + git add . + git commit","fontFamily":"Inter","fontSize":13,"fill":"#333333"},{"type":"text","id":"gs_detail2","content":"Fallback author: Laputa <vault@laputa.app> (if no global git config)","fontFamily":"Inter","fontSize":13,"fill":"#333333"},{"type":"text","id":"gs_detail3","content":"No UI changes — backend only (git.rs + getting_started.rs)","fontFamily":"Inter","fontSize":13,"fill":"#333333"}]}]}],"variables":{}}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/git.rs b/src-tauri/src/git.rs
index 481965dc..2ed743a0 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/git.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/git.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,54 @@ pub struct GitCommit {
     pub date: i64,
 }
 
+/// Initialize a new git repository, stage all files, and create an initial commit.
+pub fn init_repo(path: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let dir = Path::new(path);
+
+    run_git(dir, &["init"])?;
+    ensure_author_config(dir)?;
+    run_git(dir, &["add", "."])?;
+    run_git(dir, &["commit", "-m", "Initial vault setup"])?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// Run a git command in the given directory, returning an error on failure.
+fn run_git(dir: &Path, args: &[&str]) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let output = Command::new("git")
+        .args(args)
+        .current_dir(dir)
+        .output()
+        .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to run git {}: {}", args[0], e))?;
+
+    if output.status.success() {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    Err(format!(
+        "git {} failed: {}",
+        args[0],
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    ))
+}
+
+/// Set local user.name and user.email if not already configured.
+fn ensure_author_config(dir: &Path) -> Result<(), String> {
+    for (key, fallback) in [("user.name", "Laputa"), ("user.email", "vault@laputa.app")] {
+        let check = Command::new("git")
+            .args(["config", key])
+            .current_dir(dir)
+            .output()
+            .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to check git config: {}", e))?;
+
+        let value = String::from_utf8_lossy(&check.stdout);
+        if !check.status.success() || value.trim().is_empty() {
+            run_git(dir, &["config", key, fallback])?;
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Get git log history for a specific file in the vault.
 pub fn get_file_history(vault_path: &str, file_path: &str) -> Result<Vec<GitCommit>, String> {
     let vault = Path::new(vault_path);
@@ -562,6 +610,57 @@ mod tests {
         dir
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_init_repo_creates_git_directory() {
+        let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let vault = dir.path().join("new-vault");
+        fs::create_dir_all(&vault).unwrap();
+        fs::write(vault.join("note.md"), "# Test\n").unwrap();
+
+        init_repo(vault.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+
+        assert!(vault.join(".git").exists());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_init_repo_creates_initial_commit() {
+        let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let vault = dir.path().join("new-vault");
+        fs::create_dir_all(&vault).unwrap();
+        fs::write(vault.join("note.md"), "# Test\n").unwrap();
+
+        init_repo(vault.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+
+        let log = Command::new("git")
+            .args(["log", "--oneline"])
+            .current_dir(&vault)
+            .output()
+            .unwrap();
+        let log_str = String::from_utf8_lossy(&log.stdout);
+        assert!(log_str.contains("Initial vault setup"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_init_repo_stages_all_files() {
+        let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let vault = dir.path().join("new-vault");
+        fs::create_dir_all(vault.join("sub")).unwrap();
+        fs::write(vault.join("note.md"), "# Test\n").unwrap();
+        fs::write(vault.join("sub/nested.md"), "# Nested\n").unwrap();
+
+        init_repo(vault.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+
+        let status = Command::new("git")
+            .args(["status", "--porcelain"])
+            .current_dir(&vault)
+            .output()
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&status.stdout).trim().is_empty(),
+            "All files should be committed"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_get_file_history_with_commits() {
         let dir = setup_git_repo();
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/vault/getting_started.rs b/src-tauri/src/vault/getting_started.rs
index b2c7a838..aeed2e84 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/vault/getting_started.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/vault/getting_started.rs
@@ -292,6 +292,8 @@ pub fn create_getting_started_vault(target_path: &str) -> Result<String, String>
             .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to write {}: {}", sample.rel_path, e))?;
     }
 
+    crate::git::init_repo(target_path)?;
+
     Ok(vault_dir
         .canonicalize()
         .unwrap_or_else(|_| vault_dir.to_path_buf())
@@ -393,4 +395,38 @@ mod tests {
         let entries = crate::vault::scan_vault(&vault_path).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(entries.len(), SAMPLE_FILES.len());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_create_getting_started_vault_initializes_git() {
+        let dir = tempfile::TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let vault_path = dir.path().join("git-vault");
+        create_getting_started_vault(vault_path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+
+        assert!(vault_path.join(".git").exists());
+
+        let log = std::process::Command::new("git")
+            .args(["log", "--oneline"])
+            .current_dir(&vault_path)
+            .output()
+            .unwrap();
+        let log_str = String::from_utf8_lossy(&log.stdout);
+        assert!(log_str.contains("Initial vault setup"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_create_getting_started_vault_no_untracked_files() {
+        let dir = tempfile::TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let vault_path = dir.path().join("clean-vault");
+        create_getting_started_vault(vault_path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+
+        let status = std::process::Command::new("git")
+            .args(["status", "--porcelain"])
+            .current_dir(&vault_path)
+            .output()
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&status.stdout).trim().is_empty(),
+            "All files should be committed, no untracked files"
+        );
+    }
 }