Skip to main content

​
Authentication Methods

Auk supports multiple authentication methods for Git synchronization:

SSH Keys

Most secure and convenient - no password needed

HTTPS + Token

Works everywhere, including corporate firewalls

OAuth

One-click authentication (coming soon)

Deploy Keys

Read-only or limited access for specific repositories

​
SSH Key Authentication

​
Setup SSH Keys

1

Generate SSH Key Pair

# Generate Ed25519 key (recommended)
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"

# Or RSA key (if Ed25519 not supported)
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "[email protected]"
When prompted:
  • File location: Press Enter for default (~/.ssh/id_ed25519)
  • Passphrase: Optional but recommended for security
2

Start SSH Agent

# Start the SSH agent
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

# Add your SSH key
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
For macOS, add to ~/.ssh/config:
Host *
  AddKeysToAgent yes
  UseKeychain yes
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
3

Copy Public Key

# macOS
pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

# Linux (requires xclip)
xclip -sel clip < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

# Windows (Git Bash)
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub | clip

# Or just display it
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
4

Add to Git Service

Add the public key to your Git service (see platform-specific instructions below)

​
Platform-Specific Setup

  1. Go to github.com/settings/keys
  2. Click “New SSH key”
  3. Enter a title: Auk on MacBook Pro
  4. Paste your public key
  5. Click “Add SSH key”
Test connection:
ssh -T [email protected]
# You should see: "Hi username! You've successfully authenticated..."
Repository URL format:
[email protected]:username/repository.git

​
SSH Key Management

​
Multiple SSH Keys

If you have multiple Git accounts: 
# ~/.ssh/config
Host github.com-work
  HostName github.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_work

Host github.com-personal
  HostName github.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_personal
Use in Auk: 
[email protected]:company/api-collections.git
[email protected]:username/personal-apis.git

​
SSH Key with Passphrase

If you set a passphrase, you’ll need to enter it when adding the key: 
# Add key with passphrase
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

# macOS: Store passphrase in Keychain
ssh-add --apple-use-keychain ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

​
HTTPS Authentication

​
Personal Access Token

Create Token:
  1. Go to github.com/settings/tokens
  2. Click “Generate new token” → “Generate new token (classic)”
  3. Enter note: Auk Git Sync
  4. Select scopes:
    • ✅ repo (Full control of private repositories)
  5. Click “Generate token”
  6. Copy token immediately (you won’t see it again)
Use in Auk:
https://[email protected]/username/repository.git
Or use Git credential helper:
git config --global credential.helper store

​
Credential Storage

Store credentials securely:
Use macOS Keychain:
git config --global credential.helper osxkeychain
First time you push/pull, enter your token as the password. macOS will store it securely.

​
Deploy Keys

For read-only or repository-specific access:

​
GitHub Deploy Keys

1

Generate Deploy Key

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "auk-deploy-key" -f ~/.ssh/auk_deploy_key
2

Add to Repository

  1. Go to repository → Settings → Deploy keys
  2. Click “Add deploy key”
  3. Title: Auk Sync
  4. Paste public key
  5. Check “Allow write access” if needed
  6. Click “Add key”
3

Configure SSH

Add to ~/.ssh/config:
Host github.com-deploy
  HostName github.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/auk_deploy_key
4

Use in Auk

[email protected]:username/repository.git

​
GitLab Deploy Tokens

1

Create Deploy Token

  1. Go to repository → Settings → Repository → Deploy tokens
  2. Name: Auk Sync
  3. Scopes:
    • ✅ read_repository
    • ✅ write_repository (if needed)
  4. Click “Create deploy token”
  5. Copy username and token
2

Use in Auk

https://USERNAME:[email protected]/username/repository.git

​
OAuth (Coming Soon)

One-click authentication with popular Git services:
  • GitHub OAuth - Authorize Auk to access your repositories
  • GitLab OAuth - Seamless integration with GitLab
  • Automatic Token Refresh - No manual token management

​
Security Best Practices

SSH keys are more secure and convenient:
  • No password to remember
  • Can’t be accidentally committed
  • Easier to revoke if compromised
Always set expiration dates for access tokens:
  • 30-90 days for active use
  • Shorter for testing
  • Rotate regularly
Grant only necessary permissions:
  • Read-only for viewing
  • Write access only when needed
  • Avoid admin permissions
Keep SSH private keys secure:
  • Never share private keys
  • Use passphrase protection
  • Store in secure location
  • Revoke if compromised
For automated systems:
  • Use deploy keys instead of personal keys
  • Limit to specific repositories
  • Read-only when possible

​
Troubleshooting

Cause: SSH key not added or not loadedSolution:
# Check if key is loaded
ssh-add -l

# If not, add it
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

# Test connection
ssh -T [email protected]
Cause: Invalid token or expired credentialsSolution:
  • Verify token is correct and not expired
  • Check token has required permissions
  • Clear credential cache and try again:
git credential-cache exit
Cause: Network or DNS issuesSolution:
  • Check internet connection
  • Verify Git service is accessible
  • Try using IP address instead of hostname

​
Next Steps

Git Sync Setup

Complete Git synchronization setup

Auto Sync

Configure automatic synchronization

Troubleshooting

Solve common Git issues

Security

Learn about security best practices