Managing Multiple SSH Keys for QA Consultants

As QA consultants, managing SSH keys efficiently across projects is essential. Here are two approaches:

Option 1: One SSH Key for Everything

Steps:

1. Generate an SSH Key:

   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"
   

2. Add Key to Agent:

   eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
   ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa
   

3. Add Key to Repository Platform: Copy and paste the key into platform settings.

Option 2: Multiple SSH Keys with Config

Steps:

1. Generate Multiple Keys:

   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "company1@example.com" -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa_company1
   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "company2@example.com" -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa_company2
   

2. Add Keys to Agent:

   ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa_company1
   ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa_company2
   

3. Create SSH Config File:

   nano ~/.ssh/config
   

   Example Config:

   # Company 1
   Host company1
       HostName github.com
       User git
       IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa_company1
   
   # Company 2
   Host company2
       HostName gitlab.com
       User git
       IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa_company2
   

4. Use the Config: Clone using the defined Host:

   git clone git@company1:username/repo.git
   git clone git@company2:username/repo.git
   

Which One to Use?

• Single Key: Simple, but less secure.
• Multiple Keys: Secure and clean for multiple clients.

The second method is recommended for better management.