Multiple SSH keys a solution

Filed under: tooling Tagged: ssh, git, github, and bitbucket
10 May, 2013

Dealing with multiple SSH keys can be a nightmare especially across multiple machines. In my development I use 2 different GIT hosts, github.com, Bitbucket. Setting this up on my Mac was always a giant pain as there was always one key that would not get auto loaded by my .ssh/config file constantly requiring me to $ ssh-add the required key.

The issue was I had multiple keys in the root .ssh directory and it was only loading the root id_rsa key on boot. Which meant I had to manually add the other keys when I needed them.

The solution was much simpler than I thought and provides better management of my keys. The answer, folder per domain or key so now my ~/.ssh dir looks like this:

.ssh/
  bitbucket/
    id_rsa
    id_rsa.pub
  github/
    id_rsa
    id_rsa.pub

and my .ssh/config file looks like:

Host github.com
  User git
  Hostname github.com
  PreferredAuthentications publickey
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/github/id_rsa
Host bitbucket.org
  User git
  Hostname bitbucket.org
  PreferredAuthentications publickey
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/bitbucket/id_rsa

Now except for unlocking my ssh keys for use, you do have a password on your ssh keys right?, all my git ssh keys are loaded on boot and simple to use and manage. Adding a new key?

$ mkdir ~/.ssh/DOMAIN
$ ssh-keygen -t rsa -C "Your_Email@example.com"

You'll be greeted by this message

# Creates a new ssh key, using the provided email as a label
# Generating public/private rsa key pair.
# Enter file in which to save the key (/Users/you/.ssh/id_rsa): [Press enter] 

So to add it to our new folder enter (on a mac)

/user/you/.ssh/DOMAIN/id_rsa

It will then ask you for a password and repeat that password and your key is generated. Then just add your new key to the config file and you'll be all set.