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Managing Multiple GitHub Accounts

· 4 min read
Animesh Kotka
Animesh Kotka
Full Stack Blockchian Developer

Working with multiple GitHub accounts, such as one for work and another for personal projects, can sometimes be tricky. If you've ever tried to clone a repository and accidentally used the wrong account, you know how frustrating it can be. Fortunately, SSH configuration makes managing multiple GitHub accounts seamless.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through setting up and using SSH keys to manage multiple GitHub accounts effectively. By the end, you'll be able to clone, push, and pull from repositories using the correct account without hassle.

tip

SSH (Secure Shell) is used in this context to securely authenticate and connect to GitHub repositories using unique SSH keys for different accounts, ensuring seamless management of multiple GitHub profiles.

1. Generate Separate SSH Keys for Each Account​

Each GitHub account should have its own SSH key. Follow these steps to generate the keys:

  • Primary GitHub account (e.g., for work):

    ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_official_email@example.com" -f ~/.ssh/github-primary

  • Secondary GitHub account (e.g., personal):

    ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_personal_email@example.com" -f ~/.ssh/github-personal

This creates two key pairs:

  • ~/.ssh/github-primary and ~/.ssh/github-primary.pub
  • ~/.ssh/github-personal and ~/.ssh/github-personal.pub

2. Add SSH Keys to the SSH Agent​

To ensure the keys are readily available for use, add them to the SSH agent:

ssh-add ~/.ssh/github-primary
ssh-add ~/.ssh/github-personal

3. Configure the SSH Config File​

The SSH configuration file (~/.ssh/config) allows you to map specific SSH keys to different GitHub accounts. Open or create the file:

nano ~/.ssh/config

Add the following entries:

# Primary GitHub Account (Work)
Host github-primary
  HostName github.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/github-primary

# Secondary GitHub Account (Personal)
Host github-secondary
  HostName github.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/github-personal

Save the file and exit. These aliases (github-primary and github-secondary) will let you specify which SSH key to use when interacting with GitHub.

4. Add Public Keys to GitHub Accounts​

Each SSH key has a corresponding public key (.pub file). Add these to your respective GitHub accounts:

  • Copy the public key for your primary account:

    cat ~/.ssh/github-primary.pub

  • Copy the public key for your secondary account:

    cat ~/.ssh/github-personal.pub

Log in to GitHub and navigate to Settings > SSH and GPG keys > New SSH Key. Paste the public key and give it a recognizable title.

5. Clone Repositories Using Specific Accounts​

When cloning repositories, use the host alias specified in the SSH config file:

  • For your primary account:

    git clone git@github-primary:organization/repository.git

  • For your secondary account:

    git clone git@github-secondary:username/repository.git

By specifying github-primary or github-secondary, Git automatically uses the correct SSH key.

6. Update Remote URLs for Existing Repositories​

Important If you've already cloned a repository but want to switch to a specific account, update the remote URL:

  1. Navigate to the repository:

    cd repository-name

  2. Update the remote URL:

    git remote set-url origin git@github-primary:organization/repository.git

  3. Verify the remote URL:

    git remote -v

7. Test Your Setup​

To confirm everything is configured correctly, test the SSH connection for each account:

  • Primary account:

    ssh -T git@github-primary

  • Secondary account:

    ssh -T git@github-secondary

If the setup is correct, you’ll see a message like:

Hi <username>! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

Conclusion​

Managing multiple GitHub accounts doesn't have to be complicated. By configuring SSH keys and using a well-structured ~/.ssh/config file, you can easily switch between accounts and ensure you're always using the right credentials for the task at hand.

Have questions or run into issues? Feel free to connect, and I’ll be happy to help!