Skip to main content

This version of GitHub Enterprise Server was discontinued on 2024-01-04. No patch releases will be made, even for critical security issues. For better performance, improved security, and new features, upgrade to the latest version of GitHub Enterprise Server. For help with the upgrade, contact GitHub Enterprise support.

After a site administrator upgrades your Enterprise Server instance to Enterprise Server 3.9 or later, the REST API will be versioned. To learn how to find your instance's version, see "About versions of GitHub Docs". For more information, see "About API versioning."

Git SSH Keys

Use the REST API to manage Git SSH keys of authenticated users.

About Git SSH key administration

If a request URL does not include a {username} parameter then the response will be for the signed-in user (and you must pass authentication information with your request). Additional private information, such as whether a user has two-factor authentication enabled, is included when authenticated through Basic Authentication or OAuth with the user scope.

List public SSH keys for the authenticated user

Lists the public SSH keys for the authenticated user's GitHub account. Requires that you are authenticated via Basic Auth or via OAuth with at least read:public_key scope.

Parameters for "List public SSH keys for the authenticated user"

Headers
Name, Type, Description
accept string

Setting to application/vnd.github+json is recommended.

Query parameters
Name, Type, Description
per_page integer

The number of results per page (max 100).

Default: 30

page integer

Page number of the results to fetch.

Default: 1

HTTP response status codes for "List public SSH keys for the authenticated user"

Status codeDescription
200

OK

304

Not modified

401

Requires authentication

403

Forbidden

404

Resource not found

Code samples for "List public SSH keys for the authenticated user"

get/user/keys
curl -L \ -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \ http(s)://HOSTNAME/api/v3/user/keys

Response

Status: 200
[ { "key": "2Sg8iYjAxxmI2LvUXpJjkYrMxURPc8r+dB7TJyvv1234", "id": 2, "url": "https://HOSTNAME/user/keys/2", "title": "ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAA", "created_at": "2020-06-11T21:31:57Z", "verified": false, "read_only": false }, { "key": "2Sg8iYjAxxmI2LvUXpJjkYrMxURPc8r+dB7TJy931234", "id": 3, "url": "https://HOSTNAME/user/keys/3", "title": "ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAB", "created_at": "2020-07-11T21:31:57Z", "verified": false, "read_only": false } ]

Create a public SSH key for the authenticated user

Adds a public SSH key to the authenticated user's GitHub account. Requires that you are authenticated via Basic Auth, or OAuth with at least write:public_key scope.

Parameters for "Create a public SSH key for the authenticated user"

Headers
Name, Type, Description
accept string

Setting to application/vnd.github+json is recommended.

Body parameters
Name, Type, Description
title string

A descriptive name for the new key.

key string Required

The public SSH key to add to your GitHub account.

HTTP response status codes for "Create a public SSH key for the authenticated user"

Status codeDescription
201

Created

304

Not modified

401

Requires authentication

403

Forbidden

404

Resource not found

422

Validation failed, or the endpoint has been spammed.

Code samples for "Create a public SSH key for the authenticated user"

post/user/keys
curl -L \ -X POST \ -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \ http(s)://HOSTNAME/api/v3/user/keys \ -d '{"title":"ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAA","key":"2Sg8iYjAxxmI2LvUXpJjkYrMxURPc8r+dB7TJyvv1234"}'

Response

Status: 201
{ "key": "2Sg8iYjAxxmI2LvUXpJjkYrMxURPc8r+dB7TJyvv1234", "id": 2, "url": "https://HOSTNAME/user/keys/2", "title": "ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAA", "created_at": "2020-06-11T21:31:57Z", "verified": false, "read_only": false }

Get a public SSH key for the authenticated user

View extended details for a single public SSH key. Requires that you are authenticated via Basic Auth or via OAuth with at least read:public_key scope.

Parameters for "Get a public SSH key for the authenticated user"

Headers
Name, Type, Description
accept string

Setting to application/vnd.github+json is recommended.

Path parameters
Name, Type, Description
key_id integer Required

The unique identifier of the key.

HTTP response status codes for "Get a public SSH key for the authenticated user"

Status codeDescription
200

OK

304

Not modified

401

Requires authentication

403

Forbidden

404

Resource not found

Code samples for "Get a public SSH key for the authenticated user"

get/user/keys/{key_id}
curl -L \ -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \ http(s)://HOSTNAME/api/v3/user/keys/KEY_ID

Response

Status: 200
{ "key": "2Sg8iYjAxxmI2LvUXpJjkYrMxURPc8r+dB7TJyvv1234", "id": 2, "url": "https://HOSTNAME/user/keys/2", "title": "ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAA", "created_at": "2020-06-11T21:31:57Z", "verified": false, "read_only": false }

Delete a public SSH key for the authenticated user

Removes a public SSH key from the authenticated user's GitHub account. Requires that you are authenticated via Basic Auth or via OAuth with at least admin:public_key scope.

Parameters for "Delete a public SSH key for the authenticated user"

Headers
Name, Type, Description
accept string

Setting to application/vnd.github+json is recommended.

Path parameters
Name, Type, Description
key_id integer Required

The unique identifier of the key.

HTTP response status codes for "Delete a public SSH key for the authenticated user"

Status codeDescription
204

No Content

304

Not modified

401

Requires authentication

403

Forbidden

404

Resource not found

Code samples for "Delete a public SSH key for the authenticated user"

delete/user/keys/{key_id}
curl -L \ -X DELETE \ -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \ http(s)://HOSTNAME/api/v3/user/keys/KEY_ID

Response

Status: 204

List public keys for a user

Works with GitHub Apps

Lists the verified public SSH keys for a user. This is accessible by anyone.

Parameters for "List public keys for a user"

Headers
Name, Type, Description
accept string

Setting to application/vnd.github+json is recommended.

Path parameters
Name, Type, Description
username string Required

The handle for the GitHub user account.

Query parameters
Name, Type, Description
per_page integer

The number of results per page (max 100).

Default: 30

page integer

Page number of the results to fetch.

Default: 1

HTTP response status codes for "List public keys for a user"

Status codeDescription
200

OK

Code samples for "List public keys for a user"

get/users/{username}/keys
curl -L \ -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \ http(s)://HOSTNAME/api/v3/users/USERNAME/keys

Response

Status: 200
[ { "id": 1, "key": "ssh-rsa AAA..." } ]