Set up GitHub push with SSH keys

Set up GitHub push with SSH keys.md

SSH keypair setup for GitHub (or GitHub/GitLab/BitBucket, etc, etc)

Create a repo.

Make sure there is at least one file in it (even just the README.md)

Generate a SSH key pair (private/public):

ssh-keygen -t rsa -C "[email protected]"

or even better:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "[email protected]"

It also possible to use ed25519. There are pros and cons, but personally I've had some issues and that is the reason I've chosen to stick to 4096 rsa for now.

Copy the contents of the public SSH key

macOS:

pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

GNU/Linux (requires the xclip package):

xclip -sel clip < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Windows Command Line:

type %userprofile%\.ssh\id_rsa.pub | clip

Git Bash on Windows / Windows PowerShell:

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub | clip

or ofcourse copy it via your favorite editor, cat, or whatever suits your needs :)

Copy the public SSH key to GitHub

Copy the contents of the to your SSH keys to your GitHub account settings (https://github.com/settings/keys).

Test the SSH key:

ssh -T [email protected]

Change directory into the local clone of your repository (if you're not already there) and run:

git remote set-url origin [email protected]:username/your-repository.git

If the repo is under an organization the command is slightly different:

git remote set-url origin [email protected]:organization/your-repo.git

Now try editing a file (try the README) and then do:

git add -A
git commit -am "Update README.md"
git push

Add the key to the ssh-agent

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

You should not be asked for a username or password. If it works, your SSH key is correctly configured.

When troubleshooting a really unconventional setup of a local gitlab in our environment and with keys configured I found this command on StackOverflow helped me determine that a nonstandard private key/identity file (ie not named id_rsa, id_ecdsa, etc) in the .ssh folder caused the auth to gitlab to fail. The easy fix in my case was to copy the private key into an id_rsa file. Im sure there is an option to specify a specific identity file but I havent checked the manpages yet.

Anyway the verbosity alias for git I used is git -c core.sshCommand="ssh -v" push -u origin master

Thanks a lot, xirixiz.
The native github doc with port 443 is sucks.

Thanks, I was missing this as well!

Thank you. I had almost everything working but had missed this part:

git remote set-url origin [email protected]:username/your-repository.git

If you keep getting prompted for a username and password after following these instructions...

Clone your project using SSH and not HTTPS. (or i guess change the config file in the .git directory).

Then push.

Thank you very much.

thank you!

Thank you!!!

.

If you keep getting prompted for a username and password after following these instructions...

Clone your project using SSH and not HTTPS. (or i guess change the config file in the .git directory).

Then push.

this helped, thanks!

I was using https repo endpoints.. if your using SSH you need the SSH end points. use them when setting origin

You just SAVED my life ! Thanks a ton !

Saved me--I only needed to run the git remote set-url. Thanks!

did not solve my problems, github seems to be changing methods to the extent even full stack developers are complaining, i have done everything correctly but still error

You are a wonder, thank you!

I cant get past the test part. I type this in : ssh -T [email protected]

and it said Permission Denied (Public Key)

I cant get past the test part. I type this in : ssh -T [email protected]

and it said Permission Denied (Public Key)

Don't forget to ensure the SSH agent is already running and that your GitHub private SSH key has been added to the agent. There is relevant GitHub documentation that provides more details on how to start the SSH agent in the background and add your private key. You can start the SSH agent in the background using eval "$(ssh-agent -s)" and then add the GitHub private key with

ssh-add /path/to/github/privatekey 

You will be prompted for the private key's password if it has one. After these steps, ssh -T [email protected] should work and give you

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

Okay. So following those steps will work?Sent from my iPhoneOn Jan 15, 2024, at 3:37 PM, Derek Huang ***@***.***> wrote:Re: xirixiz/Set up GitHub push with SSH ***@***.*** commented on this gist.I cant get past the test part. I type this in : ssh -T ***@***.*** it said Permission Denied (Public Key)Don't forget to ensure the SSH agent is already running and that your GitHub private SSH key has been added to the agent. There is relevant GitHub documentation that provides more details on how to start the SSH agent in the background and add your private key. You can start the SSH agent in the background using eval "$(ssh-agent -s)" and then add the GitHub private key withssh-add /path/to/github/privatekey You will be prompted for the private key's password if it has one. After these steps, ssh -T ***@***.*** should work and give youHi <your username>! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access. —Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub or unsubscribe.You are receiving this email because you commented on the thread.Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS or Android.                                                           

It’s still not working. Idk what’s going on Sent from my iPhoneOn Jan 15, 2024, at 7:33 PM, thomas higgins ***@***.***> wrote:Okay. So following those steps will work?Sent from my iPhoneOn Jan 15, 2024, at 3:37 PM, Derek Huang ***@***.***> wrote:Re: xirixiz/Set up GitHub push with SSH ***@***.*** commented on this gist.I cant get past the test part. I type this in : ssh -T ***@***.*** it said Permission Denied (Public Key)Don't forget to ensure the SSH agent is already running and that your GitHub private SSH key has been added to the agent. There is relevant GitHub documentation that provides more details on how to start the SSH agent in the background and add your private key. You can start the SSH agent in the background using eval "$(ssh-agent -s)" and then add the GitHub private key withssh-add /path/to/github/privatekey You will be prompted for the private key's password if it has one. After these steps, ssh -T ***@***.*** should work and give youHi <your username>! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access. —Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub or unsubscribe.You are receiving this email because you commented on the thread.Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS or Android.                                                           

It’s still not working. Idk what’s going on

What's the error you are getting? Is it still a permission issue with the public key?

Don't forget to also ensure that the SSH public key is already added to your GitHub account.

Yes. And it won’t let me copy the key into git.I did use sudo to set it up and am restarting again shortly. I’m not sure why I’m struggling with this. Sent from my iPhoneOn Jan 16, 2024, at 11:50 PM, Derek Huang ***@***.***> wrote:Re: xirixiz/Set up GitHub push with SSH ***@***.*** commented on this gist.It’s still not working. Idk what’s going onWhat's the error you are getting? Is it still a permission issue with the public key?Don't forget to also ensure that the SSH public key is already added to your GitHub account.—Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub or unsubscribe.You are receiving this email because you commented on the thread.Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS or Android.                                                           

Sorry for the late response--have been recovering from an illness for nearly 2 weeks.

The public SSH key should be easy to copy via your browser... so far it seems like that's the problem. Unless you have figured it out already.

the set-url part was the missing piece for me as well, thanks! one note, it seems that if the repo is under an organization, the command is slightly different:

git remote set-url origin [email protected]:organization/your-repo.git

the set-url part was the missing piece for me as well, thanks! one note, it seems that if the repo is under an organization, the command is slightly different:

git remote set-url origin [email protected]:organization/your-repo.git

Updated the gist with this command. Thanks!

thanks

Very nice and clear.

In case any of you have trouble, it's worth to check your origin url carefully.

I found my origin was set differently to his:
e.g. 'https://github.com//.git/'
by following default manual other than ssh related one.

However, origin must be like 'git://github.com:/reponame>.git'

yesssssss, it works.
thanks.

I am unable to create a new repo from ssh. If I create an empty repo using gui and push to that repo it works fine.

I have set the remote url, tested the connection, everything works

[ansadm@kubemaster nkgittest]$ git push -u origin master
ERROR: Repository not found.
fatal: Could not read from remote repository.

Please make sure you have the correct access rights
and the repository exists.

It worked for me. Thanks!

Thanks!

"DSA keys (ssh-dss) are no longer supported"
"RSA keys (ssh-rsa) ..." there are limitations
from GitHub doc

@naresh1787

I am unable to create a new repo from ssh. If I create an empty repo using gui and push to that repo it works fine.

not possible just by git push

must create repo first using: web github.com, extension hub, GitHub CLI gh, GitHub for Desktop, or GitHub API curl --user 'username' https://api.github.com/username/repos --request POST --data '{"name":"newreponame", "private":"true"}' --verbose