Generating SSH Keys - Windows, Mac, and Linux Guide

Overview

This guide walks through how to generate and share an SSH key, with step-by-step instructions for Windows, Mac, and Linux users.

SSH keys are required to securely connect to our system via SFTP, allowing your school to send SIS data (like course, enrollment, and instructor information) safely and reliably. By using an SSH key instead of a password, you ensure that the connection is encrypted and protected against unauthorized access.

Windows Users

Open PowerShell and follow these steps:

1. Generate SSH key pair

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

2. Press Enter to save in default location and enter a secure passphrase when prompted (or press Enter twice for no passphrase)
3. To display your public key:

type $env:USERPROFILE\\.ssh\\id_ed25519.pub

This will generate a private and public key combination. You will give ClassRanked the public key to access the SFTP endpoint for your school.

Mac Users

Open Terminal and execute these commands:

1. Generate SSH key pair

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

2. Press Enter to save in default location. Enter a secure passphrase when prompted (or press Enter twice for no passphrase)
3. To display your public key:

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

4. This will generate a private and public key combination. You will give ClassRanked the public key to access the SFTP endpoint for your school.

Linux Users

Open your terminal and run these commands:

1. Generate SSH key pair

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

2. Press Enter to save in default location Enter a secure passphrase when prompted (or press Enter twice for no passphrase)
3. To display your public key:

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

This will generate a private and public key combination. You will give ClassRanked the public key to access the SFTP endpoint for your school.

Verifying Your Key

Your public key should look something like this:

ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIG+1UZrz... your_email@example.com

Already Have SSH Keys?

If you already have SSH keys, you can check their location and display your existing public key:

Windows:

# View existing public keys
dir %USERPROFILE%\\\\.ssh
# Display specific public key
type %USERPROFILE%\\\\.ssh\\\\id_ed25519.pub

Mac/Linux:

# View existing public keys
ls ~/.ssh
# Display specific public key
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Important Notes

• The public key is the content of the .pub file - it's safe to share this.
• Keep your private key (id_ed25519 without .pub) secure and never share it
• The output of the final command (cat/type) is your public key - copy the entire output including "ssh-ed25519" and the email address you provided.
• The key will start with "ssh-ed25519" and end with the email address you provided.