Github Authentication Setup

So, you’ve installed Git, written some code, and now… boom—GitHub says:

“Permission denied (publickey).”

Don’t worry, it’s not you—it’s your missing SSH authentication. Let’s fix that.

Step 1: Generate Your SSH Key

Run this in your terminal (replace with your email):

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

Step 2: Add the Key to Your SSH Agent

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Step 3: Copy the Public Key

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Now head to GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG keys → New SSH key. Paste it. Save it. Done.

Give the title a random name that you can recognize then paste the key.

Step 4: Test the Connection

ssh -T git@github.com

If all went well, GitHub will greet you with:

Hi username! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

That’s success.😁

Step 5: Set Your Git Identity

Finally, tell Git who you are:

git config --global user.name "Your GitHub Username"
git config --global user.email "your_email@example.com"

Now your terminal and GitHub are officially best friends. Push your code with confidence, no more “permission denied” headaches.