Question

Apologises if this is in the wrong forum.

Basically, I have created a Private Repository on my Github account and I am allowing certain members to be collaborators on it. The thing is, I don’t want to add SSH keys to my account which would mean they have access to all my Repositories.

Is it possible where I can add them as a collaborator and then can simply use commands:

git clone [repository] -> git add -> git push etc..?

Answer 1

The answer to your stated question (how to clone/push without keys) is, quite simply: you cannot.

But that’s only because it’s based on a misunderstanding: you should not add a collaborator’s keys directly to your own account. Instead, they should create their own account, and then you add them as a collaborator on the repository/repositories you want them to have access to. From the GitHub Help Site:

Good to know: Collaborators always receive read/write permissions. To
grant read-only or admin permissions to a repo, the repo must be owned
by an organization.

1. Visit the repository’s page
2. Click the “Settings” button
3. Click the “Collaborators” tab
4. Enter part of the user’s login or email
5. Select the user from the dropdown
6. Click “Add”

Good to know: Before they can be added to a repository, the person
must have a GitHub account. If they don’t have one, they can sign up
on the free plan. Users can always collaborate on private
repositories, even on the free plan.