Using multiple github accounts with ssh keys

using-multiple-github-accounts-with-ssh-keys.md

Problem

I have two Github accounts: oanhnn (personal) and superman (for work). I want to use both accounts on same computer (without typing password everytime, when doing git push or pull).

Solution

Use ssh keys and define host aliases in ssh config file (each alias for an account).

How to?

1. Generate ssh key pairs for accounts and add them to GitHub accounts.

2. Edit/Create ssh config file (~/.ssh/config):

   # Default github account: oanhnn
   Host github.com
      HostName github.com
      IdentityFile ~/.ssh/oanhnn_private_key
      IdentitiesOnly yes
      
   # Other github account: superman
   Host github-superman
      HostName github.com
      IdentityFile ~/.ssh/superman_private_key
      IdentitiesOnly yes
   

3. Add ssh private keys to your agent:

   $ ssh-add ~/.ssh/oanhnn_private_key
   $ ssh-add ~/.ssh/superman_private_key

4. Test your connection

   $ ssh -T git@github.com
   $ ssh -T git@github-superman

   With each command, you may see this kind of warning, type yes:

   The authenticity of host 'github.com (192.30.252.1)' can't be established.
   RSA key fingerprint is xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:
   Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)?

   If everything is OK, you will see these messages:

   Hi oanhnn! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

   Hi superman! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

5. Now all are set, just clone your repositories

   $ git clone git@github-superman:org2/project2.git /path/to/project2
   $ cd /path/to/project2
   $ git config user.email "superman@org2.com"
   $ git config user.name  "Super Man"

Done! Goodluck!

Hey @oanhnn thanks for the amazing solution. I would like to add that when copying the remote repo url from github you have to edit the url to repalce github.com with github-username for the second account to work.

Hey @oanhnn thanks for the amazing solution. I would like to add that when copying the remote repo url from github you have to edit the url to repalce github.com with github-username for the second account to work.

you are right!
specialy when you clone by http url before add git config. need change remote.origin.url to git url using github-superman.
example:
git@github-superman:<username>/<projectname>.git

Thanks for this guide!

This is brilliant. Thank you very much!

https://github.com/tw-yshuang/Git_SSH-Account_Switch

Underrated stuff but all of this can be done with a command switch and no /.gitconfig stuff

https://github.com/tw-yshuang/Git_SSH-Account_Switch

Underrated stuff but all of this can be done with a command switch and no /.gitconfig stuff

Thank you for the compliment, hope everyone can enjoy this tool, and click the star😁

I had this working for a long time then suddenly today my configs stopped working.

I had to re-run ssh-add ~/.ssh/.... cmds again to properly switch between accounts. Any idea why I had to re-run ssh-add commands?

Thanks so much, really you saved my life 👍

Thanks 👍

Life saver, thank you!

Thank a lot

Thanks a lot.

it worked here <3

HUGE! Thank you :)

Thank you !
Nice.

If you already have the repo set up, after the ssh config instructions, just do:

• Remote is called probably origin
• I have work and personal accounts, for this I used git@github-personal as host from your SSH config
• user/repo-name.git for the Github repository

$ git remote set-url origin git@github-personal:user/repo-name.git

Thank you!

This is really helpful tips to work with multiple GitHub repositories. Thank you!

Thanks, really useful!

Thanks a ton for this! I had weird issues where ssh -T git@github.com -vvv and ssh -T git@github-somethingelse -vvv both would say that they use the specified key but I got identified with the my default username on both. The solution was to create a new key and add it to the second account.

will the purpose be the same for multiple bitbucket accounts, and what if we have two github and two bitbucket accounts

Thank you!

@danish9811
Yes, I just add it to the config with the right settings.

I had this working for a long time then suddenly today my configs stopped working.

I had to re-run ssh-add ~/.ssh/.... cmds again to properly switch between accounts. Any idea why I had to re-run ssh-add commands?

Same issue.

Thanks man, I think this is the best post about this topic.

You're doing the lord's work king 👑

Saved my life.

Works, thanks :)

Thx Bro for writing & sharing that !

Kudos to the instructions. They work as a charm!!

👍 thx for this.

You should use this to collect the public key from GitHub.
ssh-keyscan github.com >> ~/.ssh/known_hosts
No more error: The authenticity of host 'github.com (192.30.252.1)' can't be established.

that's marvelous guide - it works

Excellent post .

git remote set-url origin git@github-personal:user/repo-name.git

This works to me, thanks.