Create an SSH key and add it to your server

An SSH key pair consists of a private key, which stays secret and goes into the platform, and a public key, which goes onto the server. You need one when you want to connect a server of your own to the platform.

1. Generate the key pair

Run this command in the terminal:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "application-platform" -f ~/.ssh/application-platform

Confirm the prompts with Enter. Afterwards, ~/.ssh contains the private key application-platform and the public key application-platform.pub.

2. Add the public key to the server

The quickest way is ssh-copy-id; replace the user and host with the values of your server:

ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/application-platform.pub deploy@your-server.example.com

Without ssh-copy-id, append the contents of the .pub file by hand to the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file of the user on the server.

Then check the login with the new key:

ssh -i ~/.ssh/application-platform deploy@your-server.example.com

If you land on the server without being asked for a password, the public key is in place. If the server still asks for a password, check whether you added the key to the right user.

3. Store the private key in the platform

1. In the platform, open Servers, click Add server, and choose SSH.

2. Print the contents of the private key file in the terminal:

   cat ~/.ssh/application-platform
   

3. Copy the complete output, including the BEGIN and END lines, into the SSH private key field.

4. Fill in the remaining fields as described under Your own server (SSH) and save.