Setting up Git SSH

Setting up Git SSH on your local machine is a crucial step toward a seamless Git workflow. In this article, we'll walk you through the process of setting up Git SSH on your local machine, so you can securely connect to remote Git repositories.

What is SSH? SSH (Secure Shell) is a protocol that allows you to securely connect to a remote server or machine over an unsecured network. It provides encryption and authentication for remote access, making it a popular choice for Git users who need to access remote repositories securely.

Setting up Git SSH on your local machine: Before we begin, you'll need to have Git installed on your machine. If you haven't done so already, you can download Git from the official website (git-scm.com/downloads).

Step 1

Generate a new SSH key pair Open up your terminal and run the following command to generate a new SSH key pair:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

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

You will be prompted to enter a file path and a passphrase for your SSH key. You can leave the file path as the default (~/.ssh/id_ed25519) and optionally enter a passphrase for added security.

Step 2

Add your SSH key to the ssh-agent Run the following command to start the ssh-agent in the background:

 eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

Then, add your SSH key to the ssh-agent:

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

If you entered a passphrase earlier, you will be prompted to enter it again.

Step 3

Add your SSH key to your Git account Copy the contents of your public SSH key (~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub) to your clipboard:

pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

If you're on Windows, use the clip command instead of pbcopy.

Log in to your Git account and navigate to the SSH and GPG keys settings page. Click on the "New SSH key" button and paste the contents of your public SSH key into the "Key" field. Give your SSH key a descriptive title and click on the "Add SSH key" button.

Step 4

Test your SSH connection To test your SSH connection, run the following command:

ssh -T git@github.com

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

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

Replace "github.com" with the hostname of the remote Git repository you want to connect to.

Conclusion

Setting up Git SSH on your local machine is a straightforward process that can greatly enhance your Git workflow. By following the steps outlined in this article, you'll be able to securely connect to remote Git repositories and push and pull code with ease.

Happy coding