Why SSH is Better Than HTTPS for GitHub – Complete Setup Guide

Why SSH is Better Than HTTPS for GitHub – A Complete Developer Guide

If you have ever seen this error while pushing to GitHub: 

remote: Invalid username or token.
Password authentication is not supported for Git operations.

then this article is for you.

GitHub no longer supports password authentication for HTTPS pushes. Developers must now use either a Personal Access Token (PAT) or SSH. In this guide, I will explain why SSH is the better long-term solution and how to set it up properly.

HTTPS vs SSH – What’s the Difference?

Using HTTPS

  • Requires username and password (or token)
  • Tokens can expire
  • Login prompts appear frequently
  • Can cause authentication errors

Using SSH

  • No password required after setup
  • Secure key-based authentication
  • No token expiration issues
  • Professional developer standard

Conclusion: SSH provides a smoother and more secure workflow.

Step-by-Step: How to Set Up SSH for GitHub

1. Generate SSH Key

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"

Press Enter for default settings.

2. Copy Public Key

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Copy the output.

3. Add Key to GitHub

  1. Go to GitHub → Settings
  2. Click "SSH and GPG keys"
  3. Click "New SSH key"
  4. Paste the copied key

4. Switch Repository to SSH

git remote set-url origin git@github.com:username/repository.git

5. Push Normally

git push

You will no longer be asked for a username or password.

Professional Git Workflow After SSH Setup

git add .
git commit -m "Update project files"
git push

That’s it. Clean. Simple. Secure.

Final Thoughts

If you are serious about software development, SSH is the recommended authentication method. It eliminates repeated login prompts, prevents token errors, and gives you a professional workflow.

Once configured correctly, you will never struggle with GitHub authentication again.

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