Configuring Your Mac SSH key

1. Set Up GitHub Enterprise SSH key

We will be using the GitHub Enterprise service to share some of our code. We will learn about the underlying technology of GitHub known as git in the next lesson.

Note: If you already have an SSH key set up in git (for instance, for a personal or work account on github.com), use the steps in Configuring Git to use Multiple Accounts (Mac) instead of those below.

1. Log into your account at https://git.generalassemb.ly
2. Follow these instructions 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)
3. Add your new SSH Key to GitHub Enterprise following these instructions
4. 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.

Helpful Debugging Tips

Error installing due to permissions

Permissions issues are common when installing programs on the terminal. In order to install command line utilities, you need to be signed into a user account on your computer with administrator-level rights. If you have trouble with this, please ask a member of the instructional team for help.

Common Issues and Fixes:

• Permission denied (publickey): Use the following command to manually add the key to the keychain:

  ssh-add -K ~/.ssh/id_rsa_ga

  Then retry your previous command.

• Existing GitHub account that uses SSH (and existing id_rsa file): save your new key as ~/.ssh/id_rsa_ga, and then edit the git config file as follows:

  • 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.)
  • Edit 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
    

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