Git & GitHub Setup on Arch Linux

This guide explains how to install git, configure your Git identity, and set up GitHub authentication on Arch Linux using the username and email hypergolang.

There are two methods to authenticate with GitHub: SSH Keys (traditional) and GitHub CLI (modern, easier for VS Code integration).

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Method 1: SSH Key Setup (Traditional)

1. Install Git and OpenSSH

sudo pacman -Syu git openssh

2. Configure Git

Set your Git username and email:

git config --global user.name "hypergolang"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

Check configuration:

git config --list

3. Generate SSH Key

Create a new ed25519 SSH key:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "hypergolang"

When prompted:

• Enter file location: Press Enter for default (~/.ssh/id_ed25519)
• Enter passphrase: Press Enter for no password, or set one for security

4. Start SSH Agent and Add Key

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

5. Copy Public Key

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Copy the entire output starting with ssh-ed25519.

6. Add SSH Key to GitHub

1. Go to GitHub SSH Keys Settings
2. Click "New SSH Key"
3. Paste the copied key
4. Add title (e.g., ArchLinux-PC)
5. Save

7. Test SSH Connection

ssh -T [email protected]

Expected output:

Hi hypergolang! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

8. Auto-Load SSH Key on Startup

Create SSH config:

vim ~/.ssh/config

Add:

Host github.com
  AddKeysToAgent yes
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

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Method 2: GitHub CLI Setup (Recommended for VS Code)

1. Install GitHub CLI

sudo pacman -S github-cli

2. Install Git (if not already installed)

sudo pacman -S git

3. Configure Git

git config --global user.name "hypergolang"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

4. Login to GitHub CLI

gh auth login

Choose these options:

• Where do you use GitHub? → GitHub.com
• Preferred protocol? → HTTPS
• Authenticate Git with GitHub credentials? → Yes
• How to authenticate? → Login with a web browser

Follow the browser authentication process.

5. Verify Authentication

gh auth status

You should see:

✓ Logged in to github.com as hypergolang

6. Test Git Operations

git config --global credential.helper ""
git config --global credential.helper manager

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Which Method to Choose?

Use SSH Keys if:

• You prefer traditional Git workflow
• You work primarily in terminal
• You want to avoid browser authentication

Use GitHub CLI if:

• You use VS Code with GitHub extensions
• You want seamless integration with GitHub features (PRs, Issues)
• You prefer HTTPS over SSH
• You want to avoid VS Code authentication popups

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Testing Your Setup

For SSH Method:

git clone [email protected]:username/your-repo.git

For GitHub CLI Method:

git clone https://github.com/username/your-repo.git

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VS Code Integration

If using GitHub CLI method, VS Code will automatically use your authenticated GitHub CLI session without additional popups.

If using SSH method, you may need to configure VS Code's Git settings to use SSH.

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Troubleshooting

SSH Issues:

• Make sure SSH agent is running: ssh-add -l
• Test connection: ssh -T [email protected]

GitHub CLI Issues:

• Check auth status: gh auth status
• Re-login if needed: gh auth login

Git Push Issues:

• For SSH: Use [email protected]:username/repo.git format
• For HTTPS: Use https://github.com/username/repo.git format

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Done!

You now have Git configured with GitHub authentication using your preferred method. Both methods will work seamlessly with your development workflow.