Setup SSH key for using github from CLI

Setting up an SSH key for Git is a straightforward process.

• If you are on windows open Git Bash and follow the process in there.
• If you are using linux then just open the terminal and you’d be good to go.

Step 1: Check for Existing SSH Keys

First, check if you already have an SSH key on your system:

ls -al ~/.ssh

If you see files like id_rsa and id_rsa.pub, you already have an SSH key. You can skip to Step 3. Otherwise, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Generate a New SSH Key

If you don’t have an SSH key or want to create a new one, follow these steps:

1. Generate the SSH Key: Open a terminal and run:

   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"
   

   Replace "your_email@example.com" with your email address.

2. Save the Key: You’ll be prompted to save the key:

   Enter file in which to save the key (/home/your_user/.ssh/id_rsa): [Press Enter]
   

   Press Enter to accept the default location.

3. Set a Passphrase (Optional): You’ll be prompted to enter a passphrase:

   Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): [Your Passphrase]
   Enter same passphrase again: [Repeat Your Passphrase]
   

   A passphrase adds an extra layer of security, but you can leave it empty if you prefer.

Step 3: Add the SSH Key to the SSH Agent (Recommended If a Passphrase was Set)

In order to enter the passphrase only once per Windows or Linux session the generated key must be added to the SSH-agent, which will keep the decrypted key in memory after you enter the passphrase once. Otherwise, you will have to enter the passphrase for every commit.

Hence, to ensure the SSH key is used automatically, add it to the SSH agent:

1. Start the SSH Agent:

   eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
   

2. Add the SSH Key to the Agent:

   ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa
   

   If your key has a different name, replace id_rsa with your key’s name.

Step 4: Add the SSH Key to Your GitHub Account

Now, you need to add your SSH key to your GitHub (or equivalent Git service) account.

1. Copy the SSH Key to Your Clipboard:

   cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
   

   Copy the entire output, which is your SSH public key.

2. Add the Key to GitHub:
   • Go to GitHub and log in.
   • Click on your profile picture in the top right and select “Settings.”
   • In the sidebar, click “SSH and GPG keys.”
   • Click “New SSH key” and paste the key in the “Key” field.
   • Give it a title (e.g., “My Laptop SSH Key”).
   • Click “Add SSH key.”

Step 5: Test Your SSH Connection

Verify that your SSH key is correctly set up and that you can connect to GitHub:

ssh -T git@github.com

If everything is set up correctly, you should see a message like:

Hi username! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

Step 6: Push Your Changes Using SSH

Now that your SSH key is set up, you can push your changes:

1. Ensure Your Remote URL Uses SSH: Check your current remote URL:

   git remote -v
   

   If the URL starts with https://, update it to SSH:

   git remote set-url origin git@github.com:username/repo.git
   

   Replace username with your GitHub username and repo with your repository name.

2. Push Your Changes: Now, push your changes to the remote repository:

   git push -u origin main
   

This should work without asking for a username or password since you’re using SSH. If you encounter any issues or error messages during this process, let me know!

How to clone private repo?

Using SSH allows to clone a private repo and a public repo. Another way is to use PAT (Personal Access Token) but SSH is much simpler. Once you have this set up you will never have to worry about generating PATs after they expire.