user-documentation/modules/ROOT/partials/installation/post-install/convenient-user-login.adoc

A key file for SSH saves the annoying and error-prone typing of the hopefully secure and sufficiently long password. Additionally, you may prepare your local desktop to use a short name instead of having to type in a complete FQN hostname.

1. On your desktop (Linux or macOS), create a SSH keyfile if not already available. It should not be secured by password to enable automatic processing.

   […]# mkdir ~/.ssh
   […]# cd ~/.ssh
   […]# ssh-keygen -b 4096 -C <YOUR_ACCOUNT>@example.com" -f id_<outputkeyfile>

2. Transfer the key file to your server.

   […]$ ssh-copy-id -i $outputkeyfile.pub <YOUR_ACCOUNT>@host.example.com

3. Create a config file on your desktop with a convenient host name for your server.

   […]$ vi ~/.ssh/config
   Host <MYHOST>
           Hostname host.example.com
           User <YOUR_ACCOUNT>
           ProxyCommand none
           ForwardAgent no
           ForwardX11 no
           Port 22
           KeepAlive yes
           IdentityFile ~/.ssh/$outputkeyfile

4. Test the configuration

   […]$ ssh <MYHOST>