Create a key pair — Origin Cloud Docs

Create a key pair before you launch an instance. Import a key you already have, or have the platform generate one.

Before you begin

A project to create the key pair in. Key pairs belong to one project.
The origin CLI, signed in. See CLI access.

Import an existing key

If you don’t have a key yet, create one locally:
Terminal window
```
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/origin-cloud
```
Import its public half. Pass the full OpenSSH public key line:
Terminal window
```
origin compute import-key-pair \
  --project-urn <project-urn> \
  --name my-key \
  --public-key "$(cat ~/.ssh/origin-cloud.pub)"
```
A key with an unsupported type, or more than one line, is refused.

Verify that the key pair is listed:

origin compute list-key-pairs --project-urn <project-urn>

Generate a key pair

Generate the key pair:
Terminal window
```
origin compute generate-key-pair \
  --project-urn <project-urn> \
  --name my-key
```
The response contains privateKey, an ssh-ed25519 private key in OpenSSH format.
Save privateKey to a file right away, and restrict its permissions:
Terminal window
```
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/origin-cloud
```
Important: The private key is returned only in this response. The platform doesn’t store it and can’t show it again. If you lose it, delete the key pair and create a new one.

Verify that the key pair is listed:

origin compute list-key-pairs --project-urn <project-urn>

Using the API

The importKeyPair and generateKeyPair mutations take the same inputs. Request privateKey in the generateKeyPair selection, or you can’t get it later:

mutation {
  compute {
    generateKeyPair(input: { projectUrn: "<project-urn>", name: "my-key" }) {
      urn
      publicKey
      privateKey
    }
  }
}

Next steps

Launch an instance with the key pair