How do I set up public key authentication for SFTP/Shell deployments?

If you are setting up SFTP or shell deployments, we offer the option to add extra security by using public key authentication.

In order to use key authentication, you’ll need to add a key to your server that we will check each time a deployment is triggered.

From the server settings screen, you’ll have the option to download a public key. You’ll need to add this to the authorized_keys file for the user you are deploying with (usually located under your user directory at ~/.ssh/authorized_keys) on your server. All servers added to the same repository are authenticated with the same key, so you don't need to download the key every time. If you are having authentication issues, please follow the tips in our help article.