¶ KB1004 - Add SSH Key to GitHub
When you get an account on a new machine, it is recommended to setup GitHub authentication with SSH keys. This allows for access to the GitHub repos without any password. It is recommend to have a key per machine. This allows for revocation of a single machine in case it gets compromised.
¶ Generate a new SSH Key
- Access a terminal
- Paste the text below, substituting in your GitHub email address.
$ ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"
This creates a new ssh key, using the provided email as a label.
> Generating public/private ed25519 key pair.
- When you're prompted to "Enter a file in which to save the key," press Enter. This accepts the default file location. If you want to use another location, keep note of where you stored the key. If you already have a key installed, skip to the next session.
> Enter a file in which to save the key (/home/you/.ssh/id_ed25519): [Press enter]
- At the prompt, type a secure passphrase.
> Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): [Type a passphrase]
> Enter same passphrase again: [Type passphrase again]
- After the key has been generated, copy the public file into your clipboard. If applicable, change the file location according to the step above.
$ cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
- Now copy the output of the above command. We will be uploading this data into GitHub.
¶ Uploading the key
- In the upper-right corner of any page, click your profile photo, then click Settings.
- In the user settings sidebar, click SSH and GPG keys.
- Click New SSH key or Add SSH key.
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In the "Title" field, add a descriptive label for the new key. For example, if you're using Gilgamesh, you might call this key "Gilgamesh SSH Key"
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Paste your key into the "Key" field.
- Click Add SSH key.
- If prompted, confirm your GitHub password.
These instructions were adapted from Generating a new SSH Key and adding it to the ssh-agent and Adding a new SSH key to your GitHub account