Setting Up SSH for GitHub
This will make GitHub stop asking you for your username and access token every time.
Step 1: Check if you already have a key
- Before generating a new one, check if you already have an SSH key:
ls -al ~/.ssh
If you see files like id_rsa and id_rsa.pub (or id_ed25519 and id_ed25519.pub), you probably already have an SSH key. If not, generate one.
Step 2: Generate a New SSH key (if needed)
If you don't have an existing SSH key, generate a new one:
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "yourmail@example.com"
- When it asks for a file location, just press Enter (this will save it in
~/.ssh/id_ed25519). - When it asks for a passphrase, you can leave it empty (or set one for extra security).
Step 3: Add Your SSH Key to the SSH Agent
- Now, you need to add the key to your local SSH agent so it gets used automatically:
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
- Then add your key:
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
(If you used rsa, replace id_ed25519 with id_rsa.)
Step 4: Copy Your SSH Key to GitHub
Now, you need to add your SSH key to your GitHub account.
- Copy the key to your clipboard:
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
It will output something like:
ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3Nza...yourlongpublickeyhere yourmail@example.com
- Go to GitHub → SSH Keys Settings
- Click "New SSH Key", paste your key, and give it a name.
- Save it.
Step 5: Test the Connection
- Check if GitHub recognizes your SSH key:
ssh -T git@github.com
If everything is set up correctly, you should see:
Hi <your-github-username>! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.
Step 6: Change Your Git Remote to Use SSH
- If your Git remote is still using HTTPS (which asks for a password), switch it to SSH:
git remote -v
If you see:
origin https://github.com/your-username/repository.git (fetch)
origin https://github.com/your-username/repository.git (push)
- Change it to SSH:
git remote set-url origin git@github.com:your-username/repository.git
Now, every push/pull will use SSH, and you’ll never have to enter your password again.