do i really need two SSH keys?
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wrote on 26 Jun 2021, 20:14 last edited by
on this page, in the section "How to get started - Gerrit registration", step 5 says "Go to "Settings"-> "SSH Public Keys" and upload your public SSH Key". You'll note that the link for "public SSH key" points to github, which instructs the user to create a key named
ed25519. After that we are told to add it into the "gerrit->ssh keys" section. So far so good.But then below, in the next section "Local Setup", we are instructed to create another SSH key named
id_rsa, and also add that into the "gerrit->ssh keys" section. Is this correct? we are to have two keys with different names? -
wrote on 28 Jun 2021, 01:46 last edited by
to answer the question: no you need only one key, and it should be generated using the second set of instructions, not via the link to github where you see the first set of instructions giving you the wrong name.
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Hi,
You do not need to use different keys but it is often the case that people use different keys to access different services so in case one is compromised it won't require to revoke the key on all services.
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wrote on 26 Jun 2021, 22:37 last edited by
but what is the difference between those two keys? which one is used when and for what purpose?
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on this page, in the section "How to get started - Gerrit registration", step 5 says "Go to "Settings"-> "SSH Public Keys" and upload your public SSH Key". You'll note that the link for "public SSH key" points to github, which instructs the user to create a key named
ed25519. After that we are told to add it into the "gerrit->ssh keys" section. So far so good.But then below, in the next section "Local Setup", we are instructed to create another SSH key named
id_rsa, and also add that into the "gerrit->ssh keys" section. Is this correct? we are to have two keys with different names?@davecotter said in do i really need two SSH keys?:
But then below, in the next section "Local Setup", we are instructed to create another SSH key named
id_rsaIt says, "If you have no key pair on this machine yet, generate one now". So if you already have a key for this machine for Gerrit, just re-use it.
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wrote on 27 Jun 2021, 14:23 last edited by
okay, well, the doc is confusing for newbies who've never done this.
if i follow the instructions at the link in the first section, then my key is named
ed25519. Now assuming i do NOT understand how any of this works yet, because i've never done it, and all i'm doing is following the directions, believing them to be "correct", then i will end up with two keys with different names.OR if i skip step 1, as you suggest, then in step 2 where it says to open key named
id_rsa, that will fail because there is no such key.Documentation should be clear enough such that a newbie following them word for word, like a recipe in a cook book, will actually cross the finish line.
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Out of curiosity were do you get ed25519 ? I can't find it in any of the two pages you link.
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wrote on 27 Jun 2021, 16:33 last edited by davecotter
in the first sentence of the first post for this topic, i indicate a link that is displayed in the "how to get started" section. in reading the directions on that page, it is implied (well, it is stronger than implied, but slightly less than explicit) that the reader should follow that link to set up their ssh key. if you do follow that link, and then follow the directions AT that link, it leads you to creating the ssh key with that name.
when creating documentation for a thing, it's wicked helpful to have a novice who's never seen the directions actually attempt to follow them. there is all sorts of knowledge that the document writer has in their head, that they take for granted, that the reader may not have at all.
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wrote on 27 Jun 2021, 22:59 last edited by
anyone care to comment on that?
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okay, well, the doc is confusing for newbies who've never done this.
if i follow the instructions at the link in the first section, then my key is named
ed25519. Now assuming i do NOT understand how any of this works yet, because i've never done it, and all i'm doing is following the directions, believing them to be "correct", then i will end up with two keys with different names.OR if i skip step 1, as you suggest, then in step 2 where it says to open key named
id_rsa, that will fail because there is no such key.Documentation should be clear enough such that a newbie following them word for word, like a recipe in a cook book, will actually cross the finish line.
@davecotter said in do i really need two SSH keys?:
Documentation should be clear enough such that a newbie following them word for word, like a recipe in a cook book, will actually cross the finish line.
I agree
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wrote on 28 Jun 2021, 01:46 last edited by
to answer the question: no you need only one key, and it should be generated using the second set of instructions, not via the link to github where you see the first set of instructions giving you the wrong name.
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@davecotter Thanks for submitting improvements to the Wiki. I've tried to reduce clutter further by removing the link to the GitHub docs which leads down a rabbit hole. Does this flow better, in your opinion? https://wiki.qt.io/index.php?title=Setting_up_Gerrit&type=revision&diff=38510&oldid=38506
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wrote on 28 Jun 2021, 02:24 last edited by davecotter
i think you should move steps 6 and 7 from the top, and integrate them into the bottom, or really just make it one list, no need for separate sections
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