Recent Note

SSH Configuration for GitLab and GitHub

2 min read

1. Install Git

Download and install Git based on your operating system:

macOS/Linux Installation Commands

# macOS
brew install git
 
# Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)
sudo apt update && sudo apt install git
 
# Linux (Fedora)
sudo dnf install git

Confirm Git Installation

git --version

2. Generate an SSH Key Pair

Generate a new SSH key pair to securely connect to GitLab or GitHub.

SSH Key Generation Command

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your.email@example.com"
  • Replace your.email@example.com with your email associated with GitLab or GitHub.
  • Save the key in the default location:
    • Windows: C:\Users\<YourUsername>\.ssh\id_rsa
    • macOS/Linux: ~/.ssh/id_rsa

Optional Passphrase Setup

Set a passphrase during key generation for enhanced security.

3. Add the SSH Key to the SSH Agent

Start the SSH agent and add your private key.

Start SSH Agent

Different platforms have different ways to start SSH Agent.

SSH Agent on Windows (Git Bash)

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

SSH Agent on macOS

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

For macOS 10.12 and later:

ssh-add --apple-use-keychain ~/.ssh/id_rsa

SSH Agent on Linux

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

Add the SSH Key to the Agent

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

This code depends on the SSH dependencies installed and correctly configured and might not work on Windows.

4. Add the SSH Key to GitLab or GitHub

Copy your public key and add it to your GitLab or GitHub account.

Copy the Public Key

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Add Key to GitLab

  1. Log in to GitLab.
  2. Navigate to Preferences > SSH Keys.
  3. Paste the public key and click Add key.

Add Key to GitHub

  1. Log in to GitHub.
  2. Navigate to Settings > SSH and GPG keys > New SSH key.
  3. Paste the public key and click Add SSH key.

5. Test the SSH Connection

Verify the SSH connection to ensure everything is configured correctly.

Test Connection for GitLab

ssh -T git@gitlab.com

Expected output:

Welcome to GitLab, <username>!

Test Connection for GitHub

ssh -T git@github.com

Expected output:

Hi <username>! You've successfully authenticated.

Notes

Some things to consider and keep in mind.

Default SSH Key Path

Ensure the SSH key is saved in the default location (~/.ssh/id_rsa). If using a custom path, specify it when adding the key to the SSH agent or connecting.

Multiple SSH Keys Configuration

Use an ~/.ssh/config file to manage multiple SSH keys.

Example configuration:

Host github.com
  HostName github.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa_github
 
Host gitlab.com
  HostName gitlab.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa_gitlab

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