How to understand SSH vs HTTPS in GitHub?

 
Step 1: Understanding SSH and HTTPS on GitHub
 

When you interact with GitHub repositories, you can choose between two transport protocols for pushing and pulling code: HTTPS or SSH. Both protocols encrypt data in transit, but they differ in authentication methods and setup complexity.

HTTPS

• Uses your GitHub username and password (or personal access token) for authentication.
• Requires you to enter credentials on every push/pull (unless you use a credential helper).
• Easy to set up—no additional keys needed.

SSH

• Uses SSH key pairs (public and private keys) for authentication.
• Once set up, you can push/pull without entering credentials each time.
• More secure and preferred for frequent operations.

 
Step 2: Cloning a Repository via HTTPS
 

To clone a GitHub repository over HTTPS, you simply copy the HTTPS URL from the repository page and run:

git clone https://github.com/USERNAME/REPOSITORY.git

You’ll be prompted for your GitHub credentials (username and password or personal access token) when you push or pull.

If you want Git to remember your credentials, configure a credential helper:

git config --global credential.helper cache
# Or on macOS:
git config --global credential.helper osxkeychain
# Or on Windows:
git config --global credential.helper wincred

 
Step 3: Setting Up and Cloning via SSH
 

SSH requires generating a key pair on your local machine and adding the public key to your GitHub account.

Generate an SSH key (if you don’t already have one):

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your\[email protected]"
# If ed25519 isn’t supported, use:
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your\[email protected]"

This creates two files by default:
• ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 (private key)
• ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub (public key)

Start the SSH agent and add your private key:

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id\_ed25519

Copy your public key to the clipboard:

# macOS:
pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id\_ed25519.pub

# Linux:
xclip -sel clip < ~/.ssh/id\_ed25519.pub

# Windows (Git Bash):
cat ~/.ssh/id\_ed25519.pub | clip

Log into GitHub, go to Settings → SSH and GPG keys → New SSH key, then paste and save your key.

Now clone using the SSH URL:

git clone [email protected]:USERNAME/REPOSITORY.git

You should be able to push and pull without entering a password each time.

 
Step 4: Switching an Existing Repository Between HTTPS and SSH
 

If you already cloned a repository via one protocol and want to switch:

Check your current remote URL:

git remote -v

Switch from HTTPS to SSH:

git remote set-url origin [email protected]:USERNAME/REPOSITORY.git

Switch from SSH to HTTPS:

git remote set-url origin https://github.com/USERNAME/REPOSITORY.git

Verify the change:

git remote -v

 
Step 5: Comparing SSH vs HTTPS in GitHub
 

• Setup Effort: HTTPS works out of the box; SSH requires key generation and GitHub configuration.
• Authentication Security: SSH keys are more secure and cannot be brute-forced like passwords or tokens.
• Convenience: SSH offers passwordless pushes/pulls after setup; HTTPS may prompt for credentials unless you use a helper.
• Firewall and Proxy: HTTPS commonly works in restrictive networks; SSH uses port 22 (which may be blocked).
• Use Cases: Beginners often start with HTTPS; advanced users and CI workflows prefer SSH.

Choose the protocol that best fits your security requirements and workflow preferences.