Problem with ssh-agent: ssh-agent does't work after close the git terminal on Windows 10

Question

Following the tutorial on the bitbucket, I have configured ssh-agent and saved my private key in ssh-agent on Windows 10.

To start the agent, run the following:
$ eval $(ssh-agent) 
Agent pid 9700      

Enter ssh-add followed by the path to the private key file:
$ ssh-add ~/.ssh/<private_key_file>

but after closing the git terminal and reopen it, strange thing happened.

$ ssh-add -l
The agent has no identities.

By the way, under this condition, it still need to enter password of private key.

Could somebody tell me what happened and how to fix this problem.

VonC · Accepted Answer · 2020-11-12 06:38:29Z

1

Closing the terminal likely closed the ssh-agent.

You should follow "Auto-launching ssh-agent on Git for Windows" in order to make sure that, when reopening a git bash session, the .bashrc relaunch the ssh-agent automatically.

answered Nov 12, 2020 at 6:38

VonC

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3 Comments

phd Over a year ago

"Closing the terminal likely closed the ssh-agent." I'm not sure ssh-agent is so tied to its terminal. ssh-agent prints commands to set env vars and eval $(ssh-agent) sets these vars so any subsequent ssh-using program can connect to the agent. The problem AFAIU is that closing the terminal clears env vars so programs in any new terminal don't know how to connect to the agent. I suspect that agent meanwhile stays in memory.

VonC Over a year ago

@phd OK. I still prefer the .bashrc approach: it will make sure everything is runninng.

phd Over a year ago

Yep, I understand. Good approach.

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