Create and Use the SSH Config File
Create and Use the SSH Config File
Enhance your SSH experience by leveraging the SSH config file! This guide walks you through creating the configuration file on Windows and Linux machines, defining aliases for easier server access, and utilizing it for streamlined Git operations.
To Ease Remote Server Login from a Windows Machine
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Create the SSH Config File
- Open Notepad and save the file with the filename
config
at the pathC:\Users\YourUser\.ssh
. - Convert the newly created config text file to a config file:
cd c:\users\yourUser\.ssh copy config.txt config del config.txt
- Open Notepad and save the file with the filename
-
Edit the Config File
-
Open
config
using Notepad or Notepad++. -
Add the following credentials, then save the file:
Syntax:
Host ANY_NAME_1 HostName SERVER_IP or SERVER_DOMAIN User SERVER_USERNAME Port SERVER_PORT IdentityFile ~/.ssh/YOUR_PVT_SSH_KEY_NAME IdentitiesOnly yes
Example:
Host geek-vps-ubuntu HostName 181.219.74.228 User rajesh Port 1037 IdentityFile ~/.ssh/raj_ed25519 IdentitiesOnly yes
-
You can add as many
Host
entries as needed to manage multiple servers and their respective SSH keys.
-
-
Use the Config File
-
Now, you can use the
Host
alias to log in to the remote server via CMD or terminal:ssh HOST
Example:
ssh geek-vps-ubuntu
-
To Ease GitHub Clone and Pull Operations from a Linux Machine
-
Access the Remote Server via SSH
- Syntax:
ssh -p PORT USERNAME@HOSTIP
- Example:
ssh -p 22 raj@216.32.44.12
- OR
- Syntax:
ssh HOST
- Example:
ssh geek-vps-ubuntu
- Syntax:
-
Create the SSH Config File
-
Create the file:
touch ~/.ssh/config
-
Edit the config file using
nano
:nano ~/.ssh/config
-
Add the following credentials, then save the file:
Syntax:
Host ANY_NAME_1 HostName GITHUB_IP or GITHUB_DOMAIN User GITHUB_USERNAME IdentityFile ~/.ssh/YOUR_PVT_SSH_KEY_NAME IdentitiesOnly yes
Example:
Host react_project HostName github.com User geekyshow1 IdentityFile ~/.ssh/react_ed25519 IdentitiesOnly yes
-
You can add as many
Host
entries as needed to manage multiple GitHub repositories and their respective SSH keys.
-
-
Use the Config File for Git Operations
-
Verify Connection:
ssh -T git@HOST
Example:
ssh -T git@react_project
-
Clone Git Repo:
git clone git@HOST:GITHUB_USERNAME/REPO_NAME
Example:
git clone git@react_project:geekyshow1/ecomm.git
-
Git Pull:
git pull
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