Article version: GitHub.com

Connecting to GitHub with SSH

You can connect to GitHub using the Secure Shell Protocol (SSH), which provides a secure channel over an unsecured network.

About SSH→
Using the SSH protocol, you can connect and authenticate to remote servers and services. With SSH keys, you can connect to GitHub without supplying your username and personal access token at each visit.
Checking for existing SSH keys→
Before you generate an SSH key, you can check to see if you have any existing SSH keys.
Generating a new SSH key and adding it to the ssh-agent→
After you've checked for existing SSH keys, you can generate a new SSH key to use for authentication, then add it to the ssh-agent.
Adding a new SSH key to your GitHub account→
To configure your GitHub account to use your new (or existing) SSH key, you'll also need to add it to your GitHub account.
Testing your SSH connection→
After you've set up your SSH key and added it to your GitHub account, you can test your connection.
Working with SSH key passphrases→
You can secure your SSH keys and configure an authentication agent so that you won't have to reenter your passphrase every time you use your SSH keys.

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