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
   

   NOTE: If you use any account frequently, you should use the default hostname (github.com).

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-keyscan github.com >> ~/.ssh/known_hosts
   $ ssh -T git@github.com
   $ ssh -T git@github-superman

   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, you need remeber

   git@github-superman:org/project.git => user is superman
   git@github.com:org/project.git.     => user is oanhnn
   

• If you need clone a repository, just do:

$ git clone git@github-superman:org1/project1.git /path/to/project1
$ cd /path/to/project1
$ git config user.email "superman@example.com"
$ git config user.name  "Super Man"

• If you already have the repo set up, after the ssh config instructions, you need change the URL of origin, just do:

$ cd /path/to/project2
$ git remote set-url origin git@github-superman:org2/project2.git
$ git config user.email "superman@example.com"
$ git config user.name  "Super Man"

• If you are creating a new repository on local:

$ cd /path/to/project3
$ git init
$ git remote add origin git@github-superman:org3/project3.git
$ git config user.email "superman@example.com"
$ git config user.name  "Super Man"
$ git add .
$ git commit -m "Initial commit"
$ git push -u origin master

Done! Goodluck!

Addon:

The bash script that prompts for your git account. Thank @davorpa

#!/bin/bash

# silent prompt
read -p 'GIT profile: ' profile

# switch
case $profile in
  superman)
    git config user.email "superman@example.com"
    git config user.name "superman" 
    git config user.signingKey "superman_gpg_public_key"
    ;;
  oanhnn)
    git config user.email "oanhnn@example.com"
    git config user.name "oanhnn" 
    git config user.signingKey "oanhnn_gpg_public_key"
    ;;
  # default case: raise error
  *)
    >&2 echo "ERR: Unknown profile: $profile"
    exit 1
esac

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.

Very helpful. Thanks!

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

Hi, thanks for your good tips 👍, its worked for my case by your great comment, after following the steps above, we also have to reset the remote origin url with our custom "git-acount-host" in the config

Thanks man

Thank you man! You are a life saver!

Thank you! Note that if you have ssh multiplexing set up globally, especially with persistence, you may want to disable it for github, since multiplexing works per-machine and not per Host entry. Add ControlMaster no to each Host configuration.

This is golden, thanks!

Pure gold! Thanks!

thank you!

@jdvivar Many thanks. This host customization works great for tools like SourceTree in which you don't enter the ssh host alias directly.

Great post. This is by far the cleanest solution I've found.

great! thankyou sir

Neat! 🔥 Thanks for this. :)

$

Thanks bro, I had problems with this configuration since I work with docker and docker recommends these settings to use remote connections, but in github I had to uncomment those lines and it works fine :)) (~/.ssh/config)
#ControlMaster auto
#ControlPath ~/.ssh/control-%C
#ControlPersist yes

Thank you for this post; very clear and helpful!
I have a question regarding the host, though. When I change the origin host on my local repo, shouldn't I change it remotely in my GitHub account? I can't figure out how, though.
Maybe I am missing something, but I tried changing it only locally, and I tried to fetch I get from the same repo and I still get:

ERROR: Repository not found.
fatal: Could not read from remote repository.
Please make sure you have the correct access rights, and the repository exists.

I'm wondering what I'm missing.

My config file contains the following:

Host git@github.com
        HostName github.com
	User git
	IdentityFile ~/.ssh/X.pub
	IdentitiesOnly yes
Host git@github.com-work
	HostName github.com
	User git
	IdentityFile ~/.ssh/Y.pub
	IdentitiesOnly yes

I changed my local git repo's URL to git@github.com-work:username/an-example.git

@ImadMAKS
Please using Host github.com and Host githut.com-work instead of Host git@github.com and Host git@github.com-work in your config.
After that, you need change remote URL of all repository for work.
You can use below command:

$ git remote set-url origin git@github.com-work:username/an-example.git

Thank for your guide, it works with me.

Thank you mate for this.

Please using Host github.com and Host githut.com-work instead of Host git@github.com and Host git@github.com-work in your config

This worked! Thank you.

Great guide, it helps me a lot! And I can expand this guide with another trick.

In your ~/.gitconfig

[url "git@github.com-company:company_github_account/"]
    insteadOf = git@github.com:company_github_account/

After this setting, you don't have to change URL manually every time when you want to clone repos.

Works flawlessly!

@oanhnn, would you mind including this into your gist?

@jakubkalicki
I didn't use that way.
What will happen if I clone git@github.com-company:company_github_account/project1.git and github.com-company:other-org/project2.git after setting up in ~/.gitconfig?

It should work as usual. What is cool about the .gitconfig thingy is that it allows for using standard url that you copy from Github repository page. It saves you from changing github.com to the custom Host name, because it will happen automatically. One less thing to remember about.

@jakubkalicki
I'm working fine with my configuration.
I'm not sure your configuration is correct in all cases, mine works fine (because it affects to SSH). I also don't have much time to compare and experiment with your configuration.
Sorry for that.
If possible, write a guide for newbies, I can link to it here.

These instructions didn't work for me.

# Other github account: my personal account
Host <my personal alias>
   HostName github.com
   IdentityFile ~/.ssh/<my private key generated separately from my work private key>
   IdentitiesOnly yes

ssh -T git@<my personal alias>

Hi <my WORK user name>! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

So even though I have the personal alias defined in the ~/.ssh/config, ssh -T returns a response from GitHub that's using my work user name.

@manzaloros Can you re-run ssh -vT git@<my personal alias> and see why it is not correct?