Git Login via SSH

Follow these steps to authenticate Git using SSH.

1. Check for Existing SSH Keys#

Check if an SSH key already exists:

ls -al ~/.ssh

If files like id_rsa and id_rsa.pub are present, you already have a key.

2. Generate a New SSH Key (If Needed)#

Generate a new SSH key:

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

Press Enter to save it in the default location and set an optional passphrase.

3. Start SSH Agent and Add Your Key#

Ensure the SSH agent is running:

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

Add your key:

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

4. Copy SSH Key to Git Provider#

Copy the public key:

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Go to GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket → SSH and GPG keys → New SSH Key, then paste the copied key.

5. Test SSH Connection#

Test your connection:

GitHub:#

ssh -T git@github.com

GitLab:#

ssh -T git@gitlab.com

Bitbucket:#

ssh -T git@bitbucket.org

A successful connection returns a message like:

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

6. Configure Git User Information#

Set your Git username and email:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"

git config --global user.email "your_email@example.com"

7. Clone a Repository Using SSH#

If cloning a new repository, use:

git clone git@github.com:your-username/your-repo.git

After completing these steps, you can use Git via SSH without entering your password every time. 🚀