diff --git a/docs/reference/cli.md b/docs/reference/cli.md
index ff073bd7f..75343df13 100644
--- a/docs/reference/cli.md
+++ b/docs/reference/cli.md
@@ -28,10 +28,11 @@ It also supports the [`pyproject.toml`](../advanced/pyproject_toml.md) file, if
 
 ##### Options
 
-- `--channel <CHANNEL> (-c)`: specify a channel that the project uses. Defaults to `conda-forge`. (Allowed to be used more than once)
-- `--platform <PLATFORM> (-p)`: specify a platform that the project supports. (Allowed to be used more than once)
+- `--channel <CHANNEL> (-c)`: Specify a channel that the project uses. Defaults to `conda-forge`. (Allowed to be used more than once)
+- `--platform <PLATFORM> (-p)`: Specify a platform that the project supports. (Allowed to be used more than once)
 - `--import <ENV_FILE> (-i)`: Import an existing conda environment file, e.g. `environment.yml`.
 - `--format <FORMAT>`: Specify the format of the project file, either `pyproject` or `pixi`. [default: `pixi`]
+- `--scm <SCM>`: Specify the SCM used to manage the project with. Possible values: github, gitlab, codeberg. [default: `github`]
 
 !!! info "Importing an environment.yml"
   When importing an environment, the `pixi.toml` will be created with the dependencies from the environment file.
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ pixi init --channel conda-forge --channel bioconda myproject
 pixi init --platform osx-64 --platform linux-64 myproject
 pixi init --import environment.yml
 pixi init --format pyproject
-pixi init --format pixi
+pixi init --format pixi --scm gitlab
 ```
 
 ## `add`
diff --git a/src/cli/init.rs b/src/cli/init.rs
index 5a8b30d96..296da842b 100644
--- a/src/cli/init.rs
+++ b/src/cli/init.rs
@@ -46,13 +46,17 @@ pub struct Args {
     pub env_file: Option<PathBuf>,
 
     /// The manifest format to create.
-    #[arg(long, conflicts_with_all = ["env_file", "pyproject_toml"],)]
+    #[arg(long, conflicts_with_all = ["env_file", "pyproject_toml"], ignore_case = true)]
     pub format: Option<ManifestFormat>,
 
     /// Create a pyproject.toml manifest instead of a pixi.toml manifest
     // BREAK (0.27.0): Remove this option from the cli in favor of the `format` option.
     #[arg(long, conflicts_with_all = ["env_file", "format"], alias = "pyproject", hide = true)]
     pub pyproject_toml: bool,
+
+    /// Source Control Management used for this project
+    #[arg(short = 's', long = "scm", ignore_case = true)]
+    pub scm: Option<GitAttributes>,
 }
 
 /// The pixi.toml template
@@ -149,9 +153,29 @@ const GITIGNORE_TEMPLATE: &str = r#"
 *.egg-info
 "#;
 
-const GITATTRIBUTES_TEMPLATE: &str = r#"# GitHub syntax highlighting
+#[derive(Parser, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, ValueEnum)]
+pub enum GitAttributes {
+    Github,
+    Gitlab,
+    Codeberg,
+}
+
+impl GitAttributes {
+    fn template(&self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            GitAttributes::Github | GitAttributes::Codeberg => {
+                r#"# SCM syntax highlighting
 pixi.lock linguist-language=YAML linguist-generated=true
-"#;
+"#
+            }
+            GitAttributes::Gitlab => {
+                r#"# GitLab syntax highlighting
+pixi.lock gitlab-language=yaml gitlab-generated=true
+"#
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
 
 pub async fn execute(args: Args) -> miette::Result<()> {
     let env = Environment::new();
@@ -412,8 +436,10 @@ pub async fn execute(args: Args) -> miette::Result<()> {
         );
     }
 
+    let git_attributes = args.scm.unwrap_or(GitAttributes::Github);
+
     // create a .gitattributes if one is missing
-    if let Err(e) = create_or_append_file(&gitattributes_path, GITATTRIBUTES_TEMPLATE) {
+    if let Err(e) = create_or_append_file(&gitattributes_path, git_attributes.template()) {
         tracing::warn!(
             "Warning, couldn't update '{}' because of: {}",
             gitattributes_path.to_string_lossy(),
@@ -579,4 +605,56 @@ mod tests {
 
         dir.close().unwrap();
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_multiple_format_values() {
+        let test_cases = vec![
+            ("pixi", ManifestFormat::Pixi),
+            ("PiXi", ManifestFormat::Pixi),
+            ("PIXI", ManifestFormat::Pixi),
+            ("pyproject", ManifestFormat::Pyproject),
+            ("PyPrOjEcT", ManifestFormat::Pyproject),
+            ("PYPROJECT", ManifestFormat::Pyproject),
+        ];
+
+        for (input, expected) in test_cases {
+            let args = Args::try_parse_from(["init", "--format", input]).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(args.format, Some(expected));
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_multiple_scm_values() {
+        let test_cases = vec![
+            ("github", GitAttributes::Github),
+            ("GiThUb", GitAttributes::Github),
+            ("GITHUB", GitAttributes::Github),
+            ("Github", GitAttributes::Github),
+            ("gitlab", GitAttributes::Gitlab),
+            ("GiTlAb", GitAttributes::Gitlab),
+            ("GITLAB", GitAttributes::Gitlab),
+            ("codeberg", GitAttributes::Codeberg),
+            ("CoDeBeRg", GitAttributes::Codeberg),
+            ("CODEBERG", GitAttributes::Codeberg),
+        ];
+
+        for (input, expected) in test_cases {
+            let args = Args::try_parse_from(["init", "--scm", input]).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(args.scm, Some(expected));
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_invalid_scm_values() {
+        let invalid_values = vec!["invalid", "", "git", "bitbucket", "mercurial", "svn"];
+
+        for value in invalid_values {
+            let result = Args::try_parse_from(["init", "--scm", value]);
+            assert!(
+                result.is_err(),
+                "Expected error for invalid SCM value '{}', but got success",
+                value
+            );
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/common/mod.rs b/tests/common/mod.rs
index c4b1e5486..bcf635412 100644
--- a/tests/common/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/common/mod.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use pixi::{
     cli::{
         add,
         cli_config::{PrefixUpdateConfig, ProjectConfig},
-        init,
+        init::{self, GitAttributes},
         install::Args,
         project, remove, run,
         task::{self, AddArgs, AliasArgs},
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ impl PixiControl {
                 env_file: None,
                 format: None,
                 pyproject_toml: false,
+                scm: Some(GitAttributes::Github),
             },
         }
     }
@@ -278,6 +279,7 @@ impl PixiControl {
                 env_file: None,
                 format: None,
                 pyproject_toml: false,
+                scm: Some(GitAttributes::Github),
             },
         }
     }