# Getting Started ## Common tools ### Source Code Management #### Github {% embed url="" %} * Your no-reply email can be found at and it looks like `${USER_ID}+${USERNAME}@users.noreply.github.com` #### Gitlab {% embed url="" %} * Your no-reply email can be found at and it looks like `${USER_ID}-${USERNAME}@users.noreply.gitlab.com` ## Creating your keys Keys are used for platforms to identify you. It's recommended to use Public-Key-Infrastructure (PKI) technologies for your authentication keys, and the below covers generating and submission of SSH and GPG keys. Remember to never send anyone your private keys. ### GPG Keys GPG keys are used to sign commits. To generate a GPG key, run: ```bash gpg --full-gen-key ``` Enter in options as shown in your terminal: 1. RSA and RSA 2. 4096-bits long 3. 1 year validity 4. Enter any name for the Real name field (doesn't have to be your real name) 5. Use the no-reply email of the platform you are intending to use the GPG key with for the Email field (this is important for personal data hygiene) 6. Use a computer identifier for the Comment field (ideally you can recognise which device it comes from based on this field) List your GPG keys using: ```bash gpg --list-secret-keys --keyid-format=LONG ``` Identify the key to export. The ID of the key can be found in the line `rsa4096/${KEY_ID}` Export your GPG key using: ```bash gpg --armor --export ${KEY_ID}; ``` Your exported GPG public key should look like: ```bash -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- mQINB... ... ... -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- ``` Copy that block of text and paste it into wherever it needs to be. ### SSH Keys SSH keys are used to authenticate you when you are cloning repositories or pushing code changes. To generate an SSH key, run: ```bash ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 8192 ``` Save it to `~/.ssh/id_rsa` if it's your primary SSH key. To get your public key, assuming it's your primary SSH key, run: ```bash cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub ``` Your public key should look like: ``` ssh-rsa AAAA..... ${USERNAME}@${NETWORK_HOSTNAME} ``` Copy that block of text and paste it into wherever it needs to be Remember never to share your private key at `~/.ssh/id_rsa` with anyone. ## Uploading your keys In order for your service provider to identify you, you will have to submit your **public keys** to the service provider via their web UI. Your computer will sign messages using your private keys before sending them to the service provider who will then verify that the messages can be validated against your pre-uploaded public keys. ### Github Your SSH and GPG keys will be available at: {% embed url="" %} Navigate to that page and click on **New SSH key**, give it a name which can identify your machine and paste in your SSH public key from above Scroll down and click on **New GPG key**, give it a name which can identify your machine and paste in your public GPG key from above. ### GItlab Your SSH keys will be available at: {% embed url="" %} Navigate to that page and click on **Add new key**, give it a name which can identify your machine and paste in your SSH public key from above Your GPG keys will be available at: {% embed url="" %} Navigate to that page and click on **Add new key**, give it a name which can identify your machine and paste in your GPG public key from above ## Configuring GPG key usage Finally, we configure our machine to use the keys we generated. SSH keys do not usually face any issues and the SSH agent will be able to find the correct keys to use from `~/.ssh`. We will cover GPG key configurations. ### Configuring a standalone local repository The configuration can be found at `.git/config` relative to your project's root directory. Open it up and add the following: ``` [user] name = your name email = yourpublicemail@domain.com signingkey = ${KEY_ID} ``` Get the key ID by running `gpg --list-secret-keys --keyid-format=LONG` and getting the key ID from the line indicating `rsa4096/${KEY_ID}` ### Configuring a directory and all subpaths The following assumes that you have a directory named `github.com` where all your Github projects are stored. Open the root Git configuration file at `~/.gitconfig` and add in: ```bash # for all github commits... [includeIf "gitdir:**/github.com/"] path = ~/.github.com.gitconfig ``` Open the conditionally included file at `~/.github.com.gitconfig` and add in: ``` [user] name = your name email = yourpublicemail@domain.com signingkey = ${KEY_ID} ``` Similar to above, get the key ID by running `gpg --list-secret-keys --keyid-format=LONG` and getting the key ID from the line indicating `rsa4096/${KEY_ID}` --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://notes.joeir.net/software-development/getting-started.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. 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