Cloning a github repository with a ssh key on ubuntu 20.04

As you may have seen in your mail. Cloning a github repository with username and password will be removed later in 2021. As a developer it was a bit weird when you are used to a username and password in your terminal for all those years. If you are wondering what I mean, check this out https://github.blog/2020-12-15-token-authentication-requirements-for-git-operations/

Here is how it works on ubuntu 20.04

Create your key

• In your terminal type: ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C “this is my awesome public and private key”.
• You will be asked to give it a name. For simplicity we keep it like it is, id_rsa
• If you really want it to be secure add a password for the key.
• When your are done you should have a id_rsa and a id_rsa.pub file

Add your key to the startup of your ssh client

• Lets add our key to the start-up when logging in
• In your terminal type: nano ~/.ssh/config
• add the following three lines at the end of this file
• Host github.com
• HostName github.com
• IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa
• After your are done the file will look like this.
• Make sure you reconnect you terminal.

Add your key to Github

• Now that we have our keys, let github know this key is allowed to clone stuff.
• Get the content of your id_rsa.pub file by typing in your terminal: cat id_rsa.pub

• Copy and paste that content as a new SSH key inside github keys tab and give it a name.
• After that hit the add SSH key button and your are done.

Cloning your repository

• now we are ready to clone our project without username and password:
• Type in your terminal: git clone git@github.com:username/repo.git dirname
• When your terminal tells you The authenticity of host ‘github.com (140.82.121.4)’ can’t be established. Type yes and press enter.