poquillo™

Ever tried connecting a new computer to GitHub and ended up in a Google rabbit hole for hours? That was me last week after getting a new laptop! 🙈 What should have been a quick setup turned into a frustrating afternoon of searching through tech forums.

But don’t worry, amiga! I’ve documented the exact steps so neither of us has to waste precious time figuring this out again. And I promise to explain it in normal human language – no coding degree required!

Why This Matters for Your Business

If you’re building a website, working with developers, or learning to code yourself, you’ll eventually need to use GitHub. It’s basically the central hub where code lives, and connecting your computer to it securely is the first step.

Many entrepreneurs avoid tech tasks like this because they seem intimidating, but having this simple skill can save you time and money (especially if you’re paying someone hourly to help with your website!).

The Two-Part Process Made Simple

There are two main parts to this process:

1. Generating a special “key” on your computer
2. Adding that key to your GitHub account

Think of it like creating a unique lockbox that only your computer and GitHub can open. Once set up, you won’t need to enter your password every time.

Part 1: Creating Your New Secret Key

Here’s exactly how to generate your special connection key:

1. Open Git Bash (this is a program that comes with Git – if you don’t have it yet, you can download it from git-scm.com)
2. Type (or copy/paste) this command, replacing the email with your GitHub email: ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "youremail@domain.com"
3. Press Enter when it asks where to save the key (the suggested location is perfect)
4. Create a passphrase when prompted
   • Make it something you’ll remember but others won’t guess
   • Write it down somewhere safe (I use a password manager)
   • You’ll need to type it twice to confirm
5. Copy your new key to clipboard by typing: clip < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub This command automatically copies your key so it’s ready to paste into GitHub.

Tip: If you’re on a Mac, use pbcopy instead of clip:

pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Part 2: Adding Your Key to GitHub

Now that you’ve created your key, you need to tell GitHub about it:

1. Go to GitHub.com and sign in to your account
2. Click on your profile picture in the top right corner, then select “Settings”
3. Find “SSH and GPG keys” in the left sidebar and click it
4. Click the green “New SSH key” button
5. Add a title that helps you remember which computer this is for
   • Something like “Personal Laptop 2024” or “Work MacBook” works great
6. Paste your key in the “Key” field (it should already be copied to your clipboard from step 5 above)
7. Click “Add SSH key” to save

And that’s it! Your computer and GitHub are now securely connected. No more password-entering every time you push code.

Testing That It Worked

Want to make sure everything is connected properly? You can test your connection with this simple command in Git Bash:

ssh -T git@github.com

If you see a message that includes “successfully authenticated,” you’re all set!

Why Is This Better Than Just Using Your Password?

Using SSH keys is more secure than typing your password each time. It’s like having a super-complex password that you never have to remember because your computer handles it automatically. Plus, if someone gets access to your GitHub password, they still can’t access your repositories without the keys on your specific computer.

What If I Get Stuck?

This process sometimes has little hiccups depending on your computer setup. If you run into trouble:

1. Make sure Git is properly installed
2. Double-check that you’re using the same email for the key as your GitHub account
3. Try restarting Git Bash or your terminal window

No tiene que ser complicado, amiga! What seems technically complex is often just a series of simple steps.

I hope this saves you the hours of frustration I experienced. And remember, every little tech skill you learn builds your confidence for tackling bigger challenges in your business journey! ✨

¡Hasta pronto!

Gaby

P.S. Are there other tech tasks that feel overwhelming in your business? Let me know in the comments – I love simplifying the complicated stuff!