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🔐 How to Set Up SSH Access for a Private GitLab Repository


This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Hiro Ventolero

If you’re working with private GitLab repositories, you’ll often need to authenticate before cloning or pushing code.
Instead of entering your username and password every time, you can securely connect using SSH keys.

This guide will walk you through how to generate SSH keys, add them to GitLab, and clone private repositories using SSH.

🧠 What is SSH?

SSH (Secure Shell) allows secure communication between your computer and GitLab’s servers.

Instead of using your password for every Git action, GitLab uses your SSH key pair — a public key (stored on GitLab) and a private key (stored safely on your machine).

🧩 Step 1: Check for Existing SSH Keys

Before generating a new SSH key, check if you already have one:

ls -al ~/.ssh

If you see files like:

id_ed25519.pub
id_ed25519

or

id_rsa.pub
id_rsa

you already have SSH keys.
You can use them — or generate new ones for GitLab.

⚙ Step 2: Generate a New SSH Key

Generate a new SSH key using the Ed25519 algorithm (recommended):

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "you@example.com"

If your system doesn’t support Ed25519, use RSA:

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

When prompted:

Enter file in which to save the key (/home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519):

Press Enter to accept the default location.

You can also set a passphrase for extra security (optional).

💾 Step 3: Start the SSH Agent and Add Your Key

macOS / Linux

Run the following:

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Windows (Git Bash)

If you’re using Git Bash, do the same:

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

📋 Step 4: Copy Your Public SSH Key

Now copy your public key to your clipboard.

macOS 

pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Linux 

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Then manually copy the output.

Windows (Git Bash) 

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub | clip

🌐 Step 5: Add Your SSH Key to GitLab

  1. Go to your GitLab account.
  2. Navigate to User Settings → SSH Keys.
  3. Paste your public key into the Key field.
  4. Optionally, give it a title (e.g., “My Laptop”).
  5. Click Add key.

✅ Your SSH key is now linked to your GitLab account.

🧪 Step 6: Test Your SSH Connection

Run this command to confirm the connection:

ssh -T git@gitlab.com

You should see a message like:

Welcome to GitLab, @yourusername!

That means everything is working 🎉

💻 Step 7: Clone a Private Repository Using SSH

Now you can clone private repositories securely.

Find your SSH clone URL in GitLab:
It looks like:

git@gitlab.com:username/project-name.git

Then run:

git clone git@gitlab.com:username/project-name.git

You’ll no longer need to enter your GitLab credentials every time you push or pull code.

🔧 Optional: Manage Multiple SSH Keys (If You Have Multiple Accounts)

If you use different GitLab or GitHub accounts, create a custom SSH config file:

Edit your config:

nano ~/.ssh/config

Add:

Host gitlab.com
  HostName gitlab.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Save and exit.
Now Git will automatically use the right SSH key when connecting to GitLab.

✅ Final Thoughts

You’ve now configured SSH authentication for GitLab — no more typing credentials every time you push or clone.

This setup is:

  • 🔒 More secure than HTTPS authentication
  • ⚡ Faster and easier for private repos
  • 💼 Ideal for teams and CI/CD pipelines

Now go ahead and clone your project the secure way! 🚀


This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Hiro Ventolero