Git clone using public private keys

Question

I have been trying for ages to clone a git repository using public and private keys for authentication instead of password. I generated my keys using puttygen on windows. I cannot log in from windows or from linux. I keep getting the following error:

git clone [git repo directory]

Cloning into papers...

Enter passphrase for key '/.ssh/id_dsa':

Permission denied (publickey).

I first created my private key with a passphrase, but that didn't work, after I resaved the private key without a passphrase (using puttygen) but it still didn't work.

How do I fix this problem? I have been trying to work it out for so long but now am just totally stuck.

Thanks a lot!

Answer 1

1. You must to know two things: private key can be created is putty and openssh-compatible formats - and these formats are not freely exchangeable (client-side tool can understand putty or openssh only), Linux understand only openssh-type keys
2. You must use on client-side (additional) tool, which provide non-interactive authentication by key on request

A consequence of points 1 and 2

Windows-client: run pageant, load putty's private key into it (enter passphrase for key). Maybe you have to redefine in Git ssh-client from system to plink

Linux-client: on Windows-host load putty-type private key into puttygen and export into openssh-key. Save this file in Linux-box as /.ssh/id_dsa. Run ssh-agent, enter password once. ssh-agent will use password for key for all requests during session

PS: Debug your issues with the help of Github ssh-related docs and testing shell