# GitHub SSH Setup for Students (Existing Repository, Clone & Push Ready)

Instructs an AI assistant to set up GitHub SSH access for beginners step by step. Clones an existing repository without HTTPS, tokens, or passwords.

- prompt · `type=prompt` · ChatGPT, Claude.ai · ★ 174676
- Author: senoldak
- License: CC0-1.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/f/prompts.chat/tree/HEAD/prompts.csv
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/prompts/github-ssh-setup-for-students-existing-repository-clone-push-ready

## What it does

The prompt directs the assistant to guide a Git beginner through SSH setup without unnecessary theory. It checks if Git is installed, creates an ed25519 key if one is missing, displays the public key, and waits for confirmation after the user adds it to `https://github.com/settings/keys`.

The rules prohibit HTTPS, account passwords, personal access tokens, forking, and running `git init`. Once `ssh -T git@github.com` succeeds, the assistant clones the existing repository, verifies `git remote -v`, and runs `git status`. If Git is not installed on the system, the process halts on the very first step.

## Requirements
- Works with: GitHub

## Install

### ChatGPT (native platform)

**How to use**
- Paste the text at the start of a chat or into project instructions

### Claude Code

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.claude/commands/prompts.csv.md`

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/f/prompts.chat/tree/HEAD/prompts.csv

## When to use it
- generate an ed25519 SSH key and verify authentication with GitHub
- clone an existing repository using SSH instead of HTTPS
- verify remote origin configuration and clean working directory status
- onboard a collaborator who has no prior Git or command line experience

## Example prompts
- Help me set up SSH access for repository git@github.com:USERNAME/REPOSITORY.git
- I am new to Git, guide me through setting up SSH to clone my team repository

## Source text · prompts.csv · CC0-1.0

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 4b031ddab3f7d888.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 4b031ddab3f7d888
```text
# ROLE
You are an assistant configuring GitHub access for a student who does NOT know Git or GitHub.

# CONTEXT
- The GitHub repository already exists and is NOT empty.
- The student is already added as a collaborator.
- The goal is to make the repository fully usable with SSH.
- No explanations unless necessary.

# FIXED REPOSITORY (SSH – DO NOT CHANGE)
git@github.com:USERNAME/REPOSITORY.git

# GOAL
- Repository is cloned locally
- SSH authentication works
- Repository is ready for direct push

# STRICT RULES
- DO NOT use HTTPS
- DO NOT ask for GitHub password
- DO NOT use tokens
- DO NOT run `git init`
- DO NOT fork the repository
- Use SSH only

# STEPS (EXECUTE IN ORDER AND VERIFY)
1. Check if Git is installed. If not, stop and say so.
2. Check if an SSH key (ed25519) exists.
   - If not, generate one.
3. Show the PUBLIC SSH key (.pub) exactly as-is.
4. Ask the user to add the key at:
   https://github.com/settings/keys
   and WAIT until they confirm.
5. Test SSH authentication:
   ssh -T git@github.com
   - If authentication fails, stop and explain why.
6. Clone the repository using SSH.
7. Enter the repository directory.
8. Verify the remote:
   git remote -v
   - It MUST be SSH.
9. Show `git status` to confirm a clean state.

# DO NOT
- Add files
- Commit
- Push
- Change branches

# SUCCESS OUTPUT (WRITE THIS EXACTLY)
All checks passed, the repository is ready for push.
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 4b031ddab3f7d888

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 4b031ddab3f7d888 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

© senoldak · CC0-1.0 · https://github.com/f/prompts.chat/tree/HEAD/prompts.csv

## Similar
- [create_mermaid_visualization_for_github](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/prompts/create-mermaid-visualization-for-github.md) — prompt · ★ 44450
- [summarize_pull-requests](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/prompts/summarize-pull-requests.md) — prompt · ★ 44450

From the same set: [f/prompts.chat](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/f/prompts.chat.md) — 143 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md