Personal Access Tokens (PAT)

Introduction to GitHub Concepts

George Boorman

Curriculum Manager, DataCamp

Authentication

Can use Git in the terminal to interact with GitHub

git clone https://github.com/george-boorman/bank_marketing

Username for 'https://github.com': george-boorman

Password for 'https://[email protected]':

Authentication failed

remote: Support for password authentication was removed on August 13, 2021.
remote: Please see https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/getting-started-with-git/about-remote-
repositories#cloning-with-https-urls for information on currently recommended modes of authentication.
fatal: Authentication failed for 'https://github.com/george-boorman/bank_marketing/'

GitHub Docs

GitHub Docs page with instructions to provide a personal access token (PAT) when performing git clone, fetch, pull, or push to a remote repository.

¹ https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/getting-started-with-git/about-remote-repositories#cloning-with-https-urls

What is a Personal Access Token?

Personal Access Token (PAT)
- An alternative to using passwords for authentication in the terminal
- Required since August 2021 instead of passwords
- More secure
Not needed in GitHub
- Only to access a remote repo using the terminal

¹ https://docs.github.com/en/authentication/keeping-your-account-and-data-secure/creating-a-personal-access-token

Creating a PAT

settings section access from the profile page

Creating a PAT

Developer settings in our settings page

Creating a PAT

Developer settings page with three options: GitHub Apps, OAuth Apps, and Personal access tokens

Creating a PAT

Personal access tokens section, with a button to Generate new token

Creating a PAT

Note and Expiration sections of the new PAT

Creating a PAT

Selecting the repo access checkbox

Creating a PAT

Generate token button

Using the PAT

PAT on display as a mixture of letters and numbers, which we can copy

Using the PAT

PAT highlighted as a mixture of letters and numbers, which we can copy

Don't share a PAT!

Using the PAT

git clone https://github.com/george-boorman/bank_marketing
Cloning into 'bank_marketing'...
Username for 'https://github.com': george-boorman
Password for 'https://[email protected]':

remote: Enumerating objects: 3, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (3/3), done.
remote: Total 3 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 0

ls

bank_marketing

Let's practice!

Introduction to GitHub Concepts