Adding SSH Keys to Your GitHub Account

Github SSH key Setup

Requirements

1. Surely a github account 🤓
2. A Mac/Linux/Windows or Android devices (Yes, I once had my Android device setup for pushing little changes when I couldn't get my PC) 😁
3. Internet Connection 😌
4. Little knowledge of the Terminal (Command Line) 😋

NOTE: To follow up with an Android device download "Termux" and run the Linux commands

Alright Let's Go

Step One : Checking For Existing SSH Keys

Linux, Mac & Windows(Git Bash)

First, we're gonna check if there's an existing SSH key on your device.
NOTE: If you're sure you don't have existing SSH keys you can skip this step to the next one.

Open Terminal

Enter the following command to see if existing SSH keys are present

$ ls -al ~/.ssh

It'll list the files in this directory if they exist.
If a count instead is shown or no files you can move to step two

Expected Output

id_rsa.pub
id_ecdsa.pub
id_ed25519.pub

If you already have and wish to use then, skip step 2 and continue from step 3. But if you wish to not use any already available to connect to github you can continue with step 2.

Step 2: Generating SSH Keys

Linux, Mac & Windows(Git Bash)

Type or paste the command below intor your terminal, replace [e-mail] with your Github email address.

$ ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "[e-mail]"

Press "Enter" when prompted "Enter a file in which to save the key".
Doing this accepts the default location.

> Enter a file in which to save the key(/home/you/.ssh/id_rsa):[Press Enter]

At the next prompt type a secure password and confirm it by typing it again on the next prompt

> Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): [Type a passphrase]
> Enter same passphrase again: [Type passphrase again]

Step 3 Adding SSH key to the ssh-agent

Linux & Windows(Git Bash)

Start the ssh-agent in the background

$ eval "\$(ssh-agent -s)"

Result: But could be a different number

 Agent pid 67068

Add your ssh private key to the ssh-agent.

$ ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

Mac

Start the ssh-agent in the background

$ eval $(ssh-agent -s)

Result: But could be a different number

 Agent pid 59068

NOTE: For macOS Sierra 10.12.2 or later
Modify your (~/.ssh/config) file to automatically load keys into the ssh-agent and store passphrases in your keychain.

1. First check to see if your ~/.ssh/config file exists in the default location

   $ open ~/.ssh/config

If you get

[The file /Users/you/.ssh/config does not exist

Then create the file.

$ touch ~/.ssh/config

Open it and modify the file.

Host *
    AddKeysToAgent yes
    UseKeyChain yes
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa

Add your ssh private key to the ssh-agent.

$ ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

If for professional purposes or personal purposes, you created the key with a different name, replace id_rsa with the name of the private key file.

Step 4: Adding SSH key to your Github Account

Copy the SSH key to your clipboard
REMINDER: If your SSH key file has a different name, modify the filename to match your setup. No new line or whitespace are allowed.

MAC

$ pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Linux

To Check for latest drivers and update

$ sudo apt-get update

$ sudo apt-get upgrade -y

Install xclip and copy the contents

$ sudo apt-get install xclip

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

Windows

$ clip < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

General

ALL COMMANDS ARE DONE NOW.

Login your Github on a browser & Navigate to Settings

Select SSH and GPG keys

Click New SSH keys

In the Title field, add a descriptive label for the new key

Finally paste your key into the Key Field and click add

Now you can go back to your terminal and clone, push, pull and run every other Git command without having to repeatedly input your GITHUB details

Extra Note: When try to perform a Git command from an Editors or IDE for the first time, you might be asked to input the passphrase use in creating the SSH key.

You can either allow it once or allow it until you choose to remove the SSH Key from Github

Thanks 😘