Question

Can I add multiple SSH keys?

Answer 1

Yes, you can add multiple SSH keys to your SSH configuration. This is useful if you need to use different keys for different services or accounts. Here’s how you can manage multiple SSH keys:

1. Generate Additional SSH Keys

If you haven’t already generated the new keys, you can do so with the following command, specifying a different filename:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "[email protected]" -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa_second

2. Add SSH Keys to the SSH Agent

Add the new key to the SSH agent:

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa_second 

3. Update SSH Config File

To manage multiple keys, you should create or modify the ~/.ssh/config file to specify which key to use for different hosts. Here’s an example configuration:

# Default key for all hosts
Host *
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa

# Specific key for GitHub
Host github.com
    HostName github.com
    User git
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa_github

# Specific key for a different server
Host myserver
    HostName myserver.example.com
    User myuser
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa_second 

4. Add SSH Keys to Remote Services

• GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket: Go to your account settings and add each public key (~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub, ~/.ssh/id_rsa_second.pub, etc.) to your SSH keys list.
• Other Services: Similarly, update the SSH keys in the relevant account or service settings.

5. Testing Your Configuration

To test if your SSH keys are working correctly, you can use the ssh -T command:

ssh -T [email protected] 

Replace github.com with the relevant host to test different configurations.

Tips

• Use Descriptive Names: Give your SSH keys descriptive names to keep track of their purposes.
• Keep Private Keys Secure: Ensure that your private keys are kept secure and not exposed.

By managing your SSH keys this way, you can streamline your access to different services and maintain better security practices.