MacOS – Setting up a git (ssh) server using OS X Server

gitmacosserver.appssh

I would like to use OS X Server to set up a git server that I can ssh into from other machines on my network.

I realize that Xcode Service has repository functionality built in, but I am looking for a more universally accessible system (from Windows or other machine without Xcode), and my Xcode Service setup broke with Yosemite anyway. I also realize that git is already installed on my machine and that I can set up an ssh server by a method like this or this, but I don't want to make a new user or deal with things on the local machine level like the first post says (I have a full server already and I want to use its resources), and I don't want to install gitolite/gitlab/etc.

To sum up, I am looking for a way to host ssh-accessible git repositories on my machine using only git and OS X Server. Thank you for your time.

Best Answer

You need to create a "bare" git repo: a repository that can never have files checked out. Everyone pulls and pushes from the server like normal, but nobody can actually work on the server (unless they make a non-bare clone).

If you are creating a new repository called "my_bare_repo.git", you can make it bare like so:

cd /Users/git (or whatever)
git init --bare my_bare_repo.git

Using your git server

On the client machine, you would clone the repo like so:

git clone ssh://user@yourmachine.domain.com/Users/git/my_bare_repo.git

If you have an existing local repo, you can add a remote origin like so:

git remote add origin ssh://user@yourmachine.domain.com/Users/git/my_bare_repo.git

Then use the server app to set up "sharing only" users that can use ssh services. You can manage the users and profiles locally or remotely through web and/or server app. The ssh access is controlled in the Server entry in the top left - then click on Settings on the right and select SSH.

Related Solutions

Source .profile and .bashrc on ssh login without tty

Bash has special provisions in its source code to source ~/.bashrc when it's invoked by rshd or sshd. It's a compilation option, which given your experience seems not to be turned on under OSX.

If you're logging in with a key, you can (ab)use the command= option in the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. A key with a command option is good only for running the specified command; but the command in the authorized_keys file runs with the environment variable SSH_ORIGINAL_COMMAND set to the command the user specified (empty for interactive sessions). So you can use something like this in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys (of course, it won't apply if you don't use this key to authenticate):

command=". ~/.profile;
         if [ -n \"$SSH_ORIGINAL_COMMAND\" ]; then
           eval \"$SSH_ORIGINAL_COMMAND\";
         else exec \"$SHELL\"; fi" ssh-rsa …

Note that I put line breaks above for legibility, but this actually needs to be all on one line.

How can I set environment variables for a remote rsync process? may have other helpful suggestions.

MacOS – SSH, passphrases, keychains, Could not open a connection to your authentication agent

The ssh-add -K command add the key to the Apple's Keychain, but there is a SSH specific keychain, unrelated do the Apple's one.

It runs as a deamon and interacts only with SSH.

I don't know if this will help you, but I have strong feeling that it will.

Keychain is available as a homebrew package so if you get nomebrew available at your system to install it just type brew install keychan. After that a man keychain will help a lot.

Best Answer

Using your git server

Related Solutions

Source .profile and .bashrc on ssh login without tty

MacOS – SSH, passphrases, keychains, Could not open a connection to your authentication agent

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