For information on GitHub and GPG, see GitHub Help: About GPG

We will be using gpg from Cygwin (see other topics later about how to load this.)

• We will also be using git from Cygwin.
• Due to the problems with configuring git that comes with git GUIs, we will be using SourceTree configured to use an external version of git (ie the Cygwin git).

Type the following in a Cygwin shell (The computer prompts are in bold type. Some questions only require you to hit the <enter> key.):

$ gpg --gen-key
Your selection? <enter>
What keysize do you want? (2048) 4096
Key is valid for? (0) <enter>
Is this correct? (y/N) y
Real name: Sharon Green
Email address: [email protected]
Comment: Sharon's Key #1
Change (N)ame, (C)omment, (E)mail or (O)kay/(Q)uit? O
Enter passphrase: <enter> (<enter> for no passphrase, or enter a passphrase if you wish)
Repeat passphrase: <enter> (<enter> for no passphrase, or repeat the same passphrase as previous line)

After a minute or so GPG will show you the new key it made:

pub   4096R/764B596D 2017-02-07
      Key fingerprint = D031 51B1 57FA 5CBA CA64  51F8 6499 42D9 764B 596D
uid                  Sharon Green (Sharon's Key #1) <[email protected]>
sub   4096R/42376CC8 2017-02-07

$ vi ~/.gnupg/gpg.conf
Add the following to the end of the file:

keyid-format long

Exit vi

$ gpg -k

GPG will show you the key in long format:

/home/Owner/.gnupg/pubring.gpg
------------------------------
pub   4096R/649942D9764B596D 2017-02-07
uid                          Sharon Green (Sharon's Key #1) <[email protected]>
sub   4096R/1F23018242376CC8 2017-02-07