End-to-end setup to use SSH so PyCharm can push a project's changes to github.

A) Create and load an SSH key (one-time)

  1. Generate a key (accept defaults unless you already have one):
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"
# Press Enter for default path (~/.ssh/id_ed25519)
# Optionally set a passphrase
  1. Start the agent and add your key:
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

  • If you set a passphrase, you’ll be prompted once; your desktop keyring may remember it.

  • Add the public key to GitHub:

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Copy the whole line, then in GitHub: Settings → SSH and GPG keys → New SSH key → paste → Save.

  1. Test the auth:
ssh -T git@github.com

You should see a “Hi ! You’ve successfully authenticated…” message.

B) Point your local repo at the SSH URL

In your project folder:

git remote -v
# if you see https://..., switch it to SSH:
git remote set-url origin git@github.com:<USERNAME>/<REPO>.git
git remote -v   # confirm it shows git@github.com:...

C) Configure PyCharm to use SSH

  1. Git executable: PyCharm → Settings/Preferences → Version Control → Git

  2. Ensure “Path to Git executable” points to your system git (PyCharm usually auto-detects).

  3. SSH handling: PyCharm → Settings/Preferences → Tools → SSH Configurations

  4. You usually don’t need to add anything here; PyCharm uses your system OpenSSH by default. PyCharm → Settings/Preferences → Version Control → Git

  5. Make sure SSH executable is Native (not “Built-in”).

  6. Clear any old HTTPS login (so PyCharm stops prompting for a password/token): PyCharm → Settings/Preferences → Version Control → GitHub

  7. Remove any stored GitHub accounts tied to HTTPS.

  8. Map the project to Git (if not already): VCS → Enable Version Control Integration… → choose Git.

  9. Trust the GitHub host key (first time from inside PyCharm it may ask):

  10. If prompted “Do you trust the host github.com?”, accept.

D) Push from PyCharm

  • VCS → Commit → Commit and Push (or the Push action).
  • If your SSH key has a passphrase and the agent/keyring isn’t holding it yet, you’ll get a prompt once.

Common pitfalls & quick fixes

  • Still seeing password prompts? Your remote is still HTTPS. Run:

bash git remote -v git remote set-url origin git@github.com:<USERNAME>/<REPO>.git * Key not used / asks every time: Ensure the agent has the key:

bash ssh-add -l # list keys loaded ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

On Linux desktops, your keyring can auto-load keys on login. If not, add the eval "$(ssh-agent -s)" and ssh-add to your shell init or use your DE’s keyring settings. * Multiple keys / multiple GitHub accounts: Use ~/.ssh/config:

Host github.com HostName github.com User git IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 IdentitiesOnly yes * Permissions error: Make sure ~/.ssh is 700 and private key is 600:

bash chmod 700 ~/.ssh chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

That’s it—once the remote is SSH and your key is added, PyCharm pushes should “just work.” If anything still blocks you, paste your git remote -v and the output of ssh -T git@github.com, and I’ll zero in on it.