What's inside .ssh?
After generating a key, your .ssh folder (usually in C:\Users\<yourname>\.ssh\) might contain:
id_ed25519 or id_rsa – your private key (keep this safe!)id_ed25519.pub or id_rsa.pub – your public key (used to connect)known_hosts – tracks servers you’ve connected to beforeconfig – optional but handy file to simplify commands
What does known_hostsdo?
Every time you connect to a new server, its signature is added here. This helps verify the identity of the server next time.
If you ever see:
…it means the server key doesn’t match what’s in known_hosts. This can happen if:
- The instance was terminated and replaced
- You’re connecting to a different host than expected
Fix it by deleting the old entry:
What’s in a config file?
Create a plain text file named config inside .ssh and add:
Now you can connect with:
instead of typing everything out every time.
Create a new Host block for each instance if you use multiple.
Public key vs. private key
- The
.pub file (public) is safe to share—it’s how servers recognize you
- The private key must stay private—it proves who you are
Never send someone your private key, and don’t copy it into web forms.
