How to Manage GitHub SSH keys (with examples)

GitHub SSH keys are used to securely authenticate and establish a connection between a user’s computer and their GitHub account. The gh ssh-key command allows users to manage and manipulate these SSH keys directly from the command line, providing a convenient and efficient way to organize and control access to a GitHub account. This article will walk through several examples of how to use the gh ssh-key command in different scenarios.

Use case 1: Display help

Code:

gh ssh-key

Motivation: Displaying help is useful when users are unfamiliar with the command or need a refresher on the available options and arguments.

Explanation: By executing the gh ssh-key command without any additional arguments, the command will display a help message providing an overview of the command’s purpose and the available subcommands. The help message includes a link to the GitHub CLI manual for more detailed information.

Example output:

Manage GitHub SSH keys

Usage:
  gh ssh-key [command]

Available Commands:
  add         Add one or more SSH keys
  get         Get detailed information about a SSH key
  help        Help about any command
  list        List SSH keys
  remove      Remove a SSH key

Flags:
      --version   Show the version information

Additional help topics:
  gh ssh-key help

Use case 2: List SSH keys for the currently authenticated user

Code:

gh ssh-key list

Motivation: Listing the SSH keys associated with a user’s GitHub account is useful when needing to keep track of the existing keys or verifying that the keys are correctly set up.

Explanation: Running the gh ssh-key list command retrieves a list of SSH keys linked to the currently authenticated GitHub user. This includes the unique key ID, title, and fingerprint of each key.

Example output:

ID            Title                    Fingerprint
1234567       My Key                   ab:cd:ef:12:34:56:78:90:ab:cd:ef:12:34:56:78:90
2345678       Another Key              12:34:56:78:90:ab:cd:ef:12:34:56:78:90:ab:cd:ef

Use case 3: Add an SSH key to the currently authenticated user’s account

Code:

gh ssh-key add path/to/key.pub

Motivation: Adding an SSH key to a GitHub account allows users to establish authenticated connections and perform operations securely.

Explanation: Executing the gh ssh-key add command followed by the path to the public key file, path/to/key.pub, adds the provided SSH key to the currently authenticated user’s GitHub account. This process authenticates the key and establishes a secure connection between the user’s computer and GitHub.

Example output:

Key added successfully.

Use case 4: Add an SSH key to the currently authenticated user’s account with a specific title

Code:

gh ssh-key add --title title path/to/key.pub

Motivation: Assigning a descriptive title to an SSH key helps users differentiate and manage multiple keys associated with their GitHub account.

Explanation: By appending the --title flag and the desired title (title) to the gh ssh-key add command, users can provide a custom name for the SSH key being added. This title is displayed in the list of SSH keys associated with the GitHub account.

Example output:

Key with title "My Custom Key" added successfully.

Conclusion:

The gh ssh-key command provides a straightforward and efficient way to manage GitHub SSH keys directly from the command line. Whether users need to add, list, or remove keys, the command offers a convenient interface to perform these operations seamlessly. By leveraging the gh ssh-key command, users can easily control access to their GitHub account and maintain secure connections for their workflows.