SSH Agent

What is ssh-agent?

ssh-agent is a helper to manage ssh keys and their passphrases, it is commonly used when you have created password-protected ssh keys (and for me in combination with git), in order to not have to type it in every time you commit or pull.

On Windows (11)

source

(provided you already have created a key)

enable the service

Get-Service ssh-agent | Set-Service -StartupType Automatic -PassThru | Start-Service

manually start the service the first time (or reboot)
Terminal window
```
start-ssh-agent.cmd
```
add private key to ssh agent
Terminal window
```
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
```
make sure that git uses the system ssh instead of the bundled one
Terminal window
```
git config --global core.sshCommand C:/Windows/System32/OpenSSH/ssh.exe
```
(optional): test the ssh connection (this will also prompt for host key verification)
```
ssh -T [email protected]
ssh -T [email protected]
```

On Linux

source

start the ssh-agent
Terminal window
```
eval $(ssh-agent)
```
add the keys
Terminal window
```
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
```
from now on, you can use your key without having to type in the password each time

Fedora GNOME

you don’t need to set it up manually, just enter it and remember you can remember it when entering it (e.g. when using vscode to pull changes)

macOS

https://superuser.com/a/1158050

~/.ssh/config and enable the UseKeychain option:

Host *
    UseKeychain yes

then, you can enter it once more and it will be remembered

this is already in chezmoi

double check that your ssh password is in keychain here: https://superuser.com/a/1140285