Information on I use one account on my server, that commits as different github users/accounts
Generate a second ssh key
The ssh-keygen program is a versatile tool used to generate, manage, and convert SSH key pairs. Below is a summary of its commonly used options and their purposes:
Common Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
-t type | Specifies the type of key to create. Common types: rsa, dsa, ecdsa, ed25519. |
-b bits | Sets the key length in bits. Example: -b 4096 for RSA. |
-C comment | Adds a comment (e.g., email address) to the key. |
-f filename | Specifies the output filename for the private key. Example: -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa. |
-N passphrase | Sets a passphrase for the private key. Leave empty (-N "") for no passphrase. |
-q | Suppresses output (quiet mode). |
-y | Reads a private key and outputs the corresponding public key. |
-p | Changes the passphrase of an existing private key. |
-l | Shows the fingerprint of a key. |
-e | Converts an OpenSSH public key to RFC 4716 format. |
-m format | Specifies the key format. Use PEM or RFC4716. |
-o | Saves the private key using the new OpenSSH format (more secure). |
-a rounds | Specifies the number of KDF rounds when saving a private key with a passphrase. |
Key Types Available
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
rsa | RSA algorithm (supports long keys but slower). |
dsa | Digital Signature Algorithm (legacy, not recommended). |
ecdsa | Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (faster, more secure). |
ed25519 | Ed25519 elliptic curve algorithm (fast and highly secure). |
Notes:
- RSA: The higher the bit value, the more secure the key (but slower). 2048 or 3072 bits is usually recommended.
- DSA: Limited to 1024 bits, making it less secure. It is now considered deprecated.
- ECDSA & Ed25519: The bit length is related to the curve used. For Ed25519, the bit length is fixed at 256 bits.
Examples
Generate an Ed25519 key (recommended for most use cases)
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "user@example.com" -N "" -f ~/.ssh/id_ed25519**_other**
Add Key in Github
Add SSH Key in .ssh/config file
nano ~/.ssh/config
Add this section
Host github-other
HostName github.com
User git
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_other
Clone a Repo and Set Remote
To use the new key and bypass the one used by defaults, change the remote for the one set in the ssh config file:
Then change the git username and email from inside the cloned directory
git config user.name "second name"
git config user.email "second email"
You can use the script below.
#!/bin/bash
# Ensure the script exits on any error
set -e
# Check if a repository URL is provided
if [ -z "$1" ]; then
echo "Usage: $0 <repository_url>"
exit 1
fi
# Store the repository URL
REPO_URL="$1"
# Extract the repository name from the URL
REPO_NAME=$(basename -s .git "$REPO_URL")
# Clone the repository
git clone "$REPO_URL"
# Get the full path of the cloned directory
FULL_PATH=$(realpath "$REPO_NAME")
# Output the full path
echo "Cloned repository path: $FULL_PATH"
pushd "$FULL_PATH" > /dev/null
# Check if the current directory is a Git repository
if ! git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree > /dev/null 2>&1; then
echo "Error: This is not a Git repository."
exit 1
fi
# Fetch the current remote URL
REMOTE_URL=$(git remote get-url origin)
# Replace 'github.com' with 'github-other'
MODIFIED_URL=${REMOTE_URL/github.com/github-other}
# Output the modified URL
echo "Modified remote URL: $MODIFIED_URL"
git remote set-url origin "$MODIFIED_URL"
popd > /dev/null
