====== Configuring SSH in git for Windows ======

Even though [[https://git-scm.com/download/|git for Windows]] basically also works in a standard command line window (''cmd.exe''),
the easiest way to access a remote repo via SSH is from within a **''git bash''** terminal window which comes with the git for Windows package.

If an SSH key already exists, the files with the associated private and public key (by default ''id_rsa'' and ''id_rsa.pub'') can be copied
to the **''~/.ssh/''** directory as usual. The directory is the same as ''${HOME}/.ssh/'', and corresponds to ''%HOME%\.ssh\'' in native Windows notation, 
e.g ''C:\Users\martin\.ssh\''.

If there's no existing SSH key available, run the command **''ssh-keygen''** to generate a new pair of key files that will by default be created
in the ''~/.ssh/'' directory.


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The **''~/.profile''** file (''%HOME%\.profile'') can be set up to use the ''ssh-agent'' program to make the SSH key available, whenever required.

When the first ''bash'' window is opened after booting, the key is loaded and cached by ''ssh-agent''.
If the SSH key is protected by a password, the password only has to be entered **//once//** at this time.
Whenever another bash window is opened, the entries in ''~/.profile'' take care that the cached key can be used without additional interaction.

To use this feature, the following lines can be put into the ''~/.profile'' file. This can be created or edited using a simple text editor:

<codedoc code>
env=~/.ssh/agent.env

agent_load_env () { test -f "$env" && . "$env" >| /dev/null ; }

agent_start () {
    (umask 077; ssh-agent >| "$env")
    . "$env" >| /dev/null ; }

agent_load_env

# agent_run_state: 0=agent running w/ key; 1=agent w/o key; 2= agent not running
agent_run_state=$(ssh-add -l >| /dev/null 2>&1; echo $?)

if [ ! "$SSH_AUTH_SOCK" ] || [ $agent_run_state = 2 ]; then
    agent_start
    ssh-add
elif [ "$SSH_AUTH_SOCK" ] && [ $agent_run_state = 1 ]; then
    ssh-add
fi

unset env
</codedoc>


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=== References ===

  * Superuser: How to make git not prompt for passphrase for ssh key on windows?\\
    [[https://superuser.com/questions/1010542/how-to-make-git-not-prompt-for-passphrase-for-ssh-key-on-windows]]

  * Github help: Working with SSH key passphrases\\
    [[https://help.github.com/en/github/authenticating-to-github/working-with-ssh-key-passphrases]]


----

 --- //Martin Burnicki [[martin.burnicki@burnicki.net]], last updated 2020-12-15//