Setup SSH for Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide

As a developer or user of GitHub, setting up SSH keys is an essential step to ensure secure authentication and easy access to your repositories. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of setting up SSH keys using Git Bash on your Mac.

By default, Git Bash's home directory is your Username home directory on Windows, making it convenient for us to start by navigating into the users home directory. For those who are new to Git, it's worth noting that Git comes with three command-line tools: Git CMD, Git Bash, and Git Gui.

To begin, let's create a folder to store our SSH keys. This will allow us to organize our keys in different folders and log in as needed. We'll do this by creating a new directory and naming it something like 'ssh-keys'.

Next, we'll generate the key pairs using Git Bash. To do this, open Git Bash and type in the following command:

`ssh-keygen -t rsa`

This will generate a public-private key pair. You can choose to save both files in the same directory or separate them into different folders.

The next step is to add the public key onto our Linux server. This involves copying the contents of the public key file and pasting it into the authorized_keys file on the server.

Finally, we'll test our SSH Authentication login by using the private key to authenticate with the server. To do this, open Git Bash and type in the following command:

`ssh -i ~/.ssh/your_private_key user@server`

Replace 'user' with your username on the server and 'server' with the hostname or IP address of the server.

That's it! You should now be able to log into your Linux server using SSH keys. If you encounter any issues during this process, I recommend checking out the official Git documentation for troubleshooting tips.

In conclusion, setting up SSH keys using Git Bash is a straightforward process that can be completed in just a few steps. By following the guide above, you'll be able to generate key pairs, add the public key to your Linux server, and test your login. Happy coding!

Setup ssh for mac