ed25519 key, load it into ssh-agent, copy the public key to your clipboard, and test the connection against the host you choose. Configure SSH commit signing in the same pass if you want it.SSH Key Setup Generator
Choose your host and key type, tick the steps you want, and copy the exact command sequence for SSH-authenticated Git remotes.
Everything stays in your browser  the commands run on your own machine and keys are generated locally.
Used for the connection test and the final host key setup step.
1. Paste the block into a terminal: Git Bash on Windows, WSL, macOS Terminal, or any Linux shell.
2. Run the lines top to bottom. You will be asked for a passphrase and, the first time, to confirm the host fingerprint.
3. Add the public key printed by the pbcopy/clipboard step to your remote account: GitHub Settings → SSH and GPG keys, GitLab Preferences → SSH Keys, Bitbucket Settings → SSH keys, or Azure DevOps Security → SSH public keys.
ed25519 is fast, short, and current; the RSA and ECDSA options are included for older remotes or policy-driven setups.
ssh-agent caches your passphrase for the session, so later git fetch/push calls do not re-prompt.
Never share your private key. Only the .pub file should be added to a remote account.
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About SSH Key Setup Generator
Get the exact commands to set up SSH authentication for a Git remote: check for existing keys, generate an
Features
Key generation for ed25519, RSA 4096, or ECDSA 256 with your comment,Host-specific test commands for GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Azure DevOps,Optional ssh-agent load, clipboard copy, and skip-if-exists guard,Optional SSH commit/tag signing configuration,Live line and byte counts with one-click copy, download, and print
How to Use
1. Pick your hosting platform (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or Azure DevOps). 2. Choose the key type and fill in the email used as the key comment. 3. Toggle the steps you want: skip-if-exists, ssh-agent load, clipboard copy, connection test, and SSH signing. 4. Copy the generated commands into your terminal, top to bottom.
Examples
For a fresh laptop: ed25519 with your GitHub email, all steps on. For SSH commit signing: keep key generation plus signing configuration, and add the public key to your GitHub signing keys as well as your SSH keys.
Benefits
No remembering of flags, no rabbit holes on which host to test against, and no key material leaving your machine. The output is a clean, copyable command sequence tuned to the host you actually use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is anything uploaded when I generate commands?
No. The generator runs entirely in your browser and only outputs commands to your screen. You run them yourself in your terminal, so keys are generated and stored only on your own machine.
Which key type should I choose?
ed25519 is the current recommended default: fast, short, and well supported by GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Azure DevOps. Choose RSA 4096 only if a remote or security policy still requires it, and ECDSA 256 for its compact size.
What do the ssh-agent commands do?
They start the ssh-agent in the background and load your key with ssh-add, so you enter your passphrase once per session instead of for every git operation that reaches the remote.
How do I know the connection works?
The generator ends with ssh -T to the chosen host. The first time you connect you will be asked to confirm the host fingerprint; after that Git will accept and the greeting message confirms authentication.
Do generated commands differ between GitHub and GitLab?
Only the hostname used to test the connection (github.com vs gitlab.com) and the identity example. The key creation, agent, and clipboard steps are identical across hosts.
Can I use SSH signing for commits with these commands?
Yes. Toggle "Configure SSH commit signing" and the output includes git config commands that tell Git to use your SSH key for signing commits and tags.
What if I already have an SSH key?
Re-running ssh-keygen with the default path would fail, so choose the "skip if exists" option, which guards key creation with a file check and falls back to the existing key.
Does generation include anything for Windows Git?
The commands are POSIX shell and run in Git Bash on Windows, WSL, macOS, and Linux. The included agent start line supports both fish-style ssh-agent in Git for Windows and standard ssh-agent.