Setup SSH key authentication for VS Code remote development

This guide explains how to generate an SSH key pair in Windows, configure a remote Linux server to accept it, and connect securely using VS Code.
Step 1: Generate the SSH Key Pair on Windows

Open PowerShell on your local windows machine and run the following commands to create a secure ED25519 key pair:

When prompted, customize the filename to keep it organized:

• Generating public/private ed25519 key pair.
• Enter file in which to save the key (C:\Users\user/.ssh/id_ed25519): vscode
• Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): [Press Enter]
• Enter same passphrase again: [Press Enter]

Your keys are saved in your local .ssh directory:

Private Key: C:\Users\user\.ssh\vscode (Keep this secret)
Public Key: C:\Users\user\.ssh\vscode.pub (Share this with the server)

Copy the Public Key to the Linux Server:

To authorize your key, you need to append the contents of your public key (vscode.pub) to the authorized_keys file on your remote Linux server.

View your public key content on Windows:

Output example:
ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIHlwDP9mhzkAp203mH3zs1YTLA4klmTDV4YYhTrj7sx/ developer1

Log into your remote Linux server and open (or create) the authorized_keys file inside your remote user’s .ssh/ directory:

Paste the public key string into ssh/ directory and rename it to:

Set the correct permissions on the server (if needed):

Configure VS Code Remote-SSH:

Open your local VS Code SSH configuration file (typically located at C:\Users\user\.ssh\config) and add the following host entry:

You can now open VS Code, click on the Remote Explorer, select mysite.com, and connect seamlessly without entering a password.