Fix ‘ssh-keygen: command not found’

What does 'ssh-keygen: command not found' mean?

The error message 'ssh-keygen: command not found' indicates that your system cannot locate the ssh-keygen command, typically because OpenSSH is not installed. OpenSSH is necessary for generating SSH keys, which are crucial for secure authentication in networked environments.

To resolve this issue, you'll need to install OpenSSH on your system. The installation process varies depending on your operating system.

How to resolve 'ssh-keygen: command not found' on Linux?

For Linux users, solving the 'ssh-keygen: command not found' issue involves installing OpenSSH. Here's how to do it on different distributions:

• Ubuntu or Debian: sudo apt update sudo apt install openssh-client
• CentOS: sudo yum install openssh
• Fedora: sudo dnf install openssh

After installation, verify the process by entering ssh-keygen -V in your terminal to see the version.

How to fix 'ssh-keygen: command not found' on Windows?

On Windows 10 or later, install the OpenSSH client as follows:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Optional Features
2. Select Add a feature
3. Find and select OpenSSH Client, then click Install

After installation, verify it by running ssh-keygen -V in Command Prompt or PowerShell.

Note for Git users on Windows: Run the ssh-keygen command within Git Bash rather than the standard Windows Command Prompt.

How to address 'ssh-keygen: command not found' on macOS?

On macOS, OpenSSH is typically pre-installed. If you encounter this error, try these steps:

1. Check your PATH: echo $PATH Ensure /usr/bin is listed.
2. If /usr/bin is missing, update your PATH by editing ~/.bash_profile or ~/.zshrc: export PATH="/usr/bin:$PATH" Then refresh your profile: source ~/.bash_profile Or for zsh: source ~/.zshrc
3. If the issue persists, reinstall command line tools: xcode-select --install

Verify the installation by checking the version: ssh-keygen -V

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1. Pantheon. SSH Keys for Secure Git Connections and for SFTP. Pantheon Documentation.
2. GitLab. MR: Fix ssh-keygen host key generation for FIPS systems. GitLab Issue Tracker.
3. Stack Overflow. ssh-keygen: command not found. Stack Overflow.
4. GitHub. SSH key generation on Windows. GitHub Help.