How This SSH Key Generator Works
Pick Ed25519 or RSA, add an optional comment, and this ssh key generator online builds a real key pair using the Web Crypto API already built into your browser, a genuine generate ssh key online workflow with nothing sent to a server. As an openssh key generator, the public key comes out in standard OpenSSH format, one line starting with ssh-ed25519 or ssh-rsa, ready to paste straight into a server's authorized_keys file or a Git host's SSH key settings, no ssh key generator free account or signup required.
Ed25519 vs RSA: Which Should You Choose?
An ed25519 key generator produces a modern, compact key, the public key line is a fraction of the size of RSA's, generation is fast, and Ed25519 is the recommended default for any server running OpenSSH 6.5 (2014) or later. A rsa ssh key generator is still worth reaching for when you're connecting to older infrastructure that predates Ed25519 support or a system that explicitly requires RSA, this tool supports both 2048-bit and 4096-bit RSA alongside Ed25519, so either an ssh public key generator use case works from the same screen.
Installing Your New Key (authorized_keys and ssh-add)
Once you generate ssh keypair online, copy the public key line into the target server's ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file (or paste it into GitHub, GitLab, or a cloud provider's SSH key settings), and save the private key locally with chmod 600 permissions, SSH refuses to use a private key file that's readable by anyone else. Add it to your local agent with ssh-add path/to/key so you're not typing a passphrase on every connection, and use the SHA-256 fingerprint this ssh key fingerprint generator shows to confirm you're looking at the right key without comparing the full public key text character by character.
Common Uses
Setting up passwordless SSH access to a new server, adding a deploy key to a Git repository, authenticating to a cloud provider's SSH-based CLI, or simply replacing an old or compromised key pair are the most common reasons to reach for an ssh key generator. It's also useful for spinning up a disposable key pair for a one-off task like a CI job or a temporary jump host, where generating a fresh key in the browser is faster than running ssh-keygen locally and copying files around.