How to Easily Control Multiple GitHub Accounts with SSH

Managing multiple GitHub accounts on one device can be streamlined by using SSH keys. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up and switch between multiple GitHub accounts using SSH on any device.

Step 1: Generate SSH Keys for Each GitHub Account

First, you need to create unique SSH keys for each of your GitHub accounts.

# With Office Email
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "ashim@programmerlab.com" -f ashim.programmerlab

# With Personal Email
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "ashimrudrapaul.me@gmail.com" -f ashimrudrapaul.me

Step 2: Create a config file on.sshfile

cd .ssh

touch config

sudo nano config

Add this

# Personal account - default config
Host github.com-ashimrudrapaul.me
        HostName github.com
        User git
        IdentityFile ~/.ssh/ashimrudrapaul.me
# Work account - Programmer Lab
Host github.com-ashim.programmerlab
        HostName github.com
        User git
        IdentityFile ~/.ssh/ashim.programmerlab

Step 3: Create a common~/.gitconfig file at home directory

sudo nano ~/.gitconfig

Add this to~/.gitconfig

# Default account-Personal
[user]
        name = ashimrudrapaul.me
        email = ashimrudrapaul.me@gmail.com
# Professional account-Office
[includeIf "gitdir:~/<office_work_space_path>/"]
        path = ~/<office_work_space_path>/.gitconfig-ashim.programmerlab

Step 4: Create organization-specific.gitconfigto organization workspace folder

# Professional account-organization
[user]
    name = ashim.programmerlab
    email = ashim@programmerlab.com

Step 5: Add the SSH Key to GitHub :

1. Log in to your GitHub account.

2. In the upper-right corner of any page, click your profile photo, then click Settings.

3. In the user settings sidebar, click SSH and GPG keys.

4. Click New SSH key.

5. In the "Title" field, add a descriptive label for the new key. For example, "Personal MacBook" or "Work Laptop".

6. Paste your key into the "Key" field.

7. Click Add SSH key.

   

   

Step 6 : Remove SSH keys and entities from the SSH agent

ssh-add -D

Step 7: Add keys and entities

ssh-add ashimrudrapaul.me
ssh-add ashim.programmerlab

# Check if added or not
ssh-add -l

Step 8: Test with Connection using ssh

ssh -T github.com-ashimrudrapaul.me
ssh -T github.com-ashim.programmerlab

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Step 9: Cloning any project with an organization account(required)

# need to add github-hostname
git clone git@<HostName>:ashim.programmerlab/<office_project_repo>.git

Example: git clone git@github.com-ashim.programmerlab:programmerlab/<office_project_repo>.git