Configuring Git to use Multiple Accounts (Mac)

If you use multiple accounts with Git (for instance, a work or personal GitHub account in addition to your GA GitHub Enterprise account), you need to configure git a bit differently than the default instructions outlined on github.com. Use this page as your guide for finishing your GitHub Enterprise setup.

• Log into your account at https://git.generalassemb.ly
• Follow these steps to create a new SSH Key (a special, very secure, key which allows your laptop access to your github account without having to remember your github password).

Generating a new SSH key

1. Open Terminal.
2. Paste the text below, substituting in your GitHub Enterprise email address.

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

   This creates a new ssh key, using the provided email as a label.

3. When you're prompted to "Enter a file in which to save the key," type

   /Users/[username]/.ssh/id_rsa_ga

   where [username] is your Mac username, and then press Enter.

4. At the prompt, type a secure passphrase. For more information, see "Working with SSH key passphrases".

Adding your SSH key to the ssh-agent

1. Paste the text below to start the ssh-agent in the background.

   eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

   The output should be Agent pid followed by some numbers.

2. In your editor, open your home directory, navigate to the .ssh folder, then open the file named config (if this file doesn't exist, go to the terminal, run touch ~/.ssh/config, then open the file in your editor.)
3. Add a second entry to your file using the following as a template:

   
       # my GitHub account 
       Host personal
         HostName github.com
         User git
         AddKeysToAgent yes
         UseKeychain yes
         IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa
         IdentitiesOnly yes
       
       # GA github Enterprise
       Host GA   
         HostName git.generalassemb.ly
         User git
         AddKeysToAgent yes
         UseKeychain yes
         IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa_ga
         IdentitiesOnly yes
       
       # wildcard
       Host *
         AddKeysToAgent yes
         UseKeychain yes
     

4. Save your changes
5. Paste the text below to add your SSH private key to the ssh-agent and store your passphrase in the keychain. (If you used a name other than id_rsa_ga in the steps above, be sure to use that name here as well.)

   ssh-add -K ~/.ssh/id_rsa_ga

6. Add your new SSH Key to GitHub Enterprise following these instructions
7. Verify your key works by running the following:

   ssh -T git@git.generalassemb.ly

   You should see output similar to:

   Hi <you>! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access. Connection to git.generalassemb.ly closed.