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How to resolve github git push command line authentication failed error?

Cowrie
Cowrie
Dev @ Bswen

1. Purpose

In this post, I would demo how to resolve the Authentication failed error when doing git push in command line.

2. Environment

  • git version 2.24.3

3. The problem

When you type the following command in terminal:

Terminal window
➜  bswen-project git:(master) git push

You get this error message:

Terminal window
remote: Support for password authentication was removed on August 13, 2021. Please use a personal access token instead.
remote: Please see https://github.blog/2020-12-15-token-authentication-requirements-for-git-operations/ for more information.
fatal: Authentication failed for 'https://github.com/bswen/bswen-project.git/'

Why did this happen? It used to work!!!

4. The reason

Because github deprecates the password authentication from August 13, 2021. Now the PAT(Personal access token) is recommended for authenticaion in command line.

5. The solution

You can just do the following steps to solve this problem:

    1. Create you PAT (Personal access token)
    1. Update your local authentication token to the new token

5.1 Create your personal access token

You can just follow this document to create your pat. Just login github and click settings in your profile as follows:

image-20210902165207143

Then click developer settings:

image-20210902165342156

And then choose Personal access tokens:

image-20210902165409727

You should grant the token with repo permissions to do git checkout or push commands.

image-20210902165504242

Then you should copy the token to your notes, write it down on a paper. It can not be seen again.

5.2 Delete the old token

You can reset the old password authentication token as follows:

Terminal window
git config --global --unset credential.helper

You could also disable use of the Git credential cache using git config —global —unset credential. helper . Then reset this, and you would continue to have the cached credentials available for other repositories (if any). You may also need to do git config —system —unset credential.

5.3 Test again

Now we can test again:

Terminal window
➜  bswen-project git:(master) git push
Username for 'https://github.com': bswen
Password for 'https://[email protected]':
Enumerating objects: 29, done.
Counting objects: 100% (29/29), done.
Delta compression using up to 8 threads
Compressing objects: 100% (18/18), done.
Writing objects: 100% (26/26), 4.25 KiB | 1.42 MiB/s, done.
Total 26 (delta 4), reused 0 (delta 0)
remote: Resolving deltas: 100% (4/4), completed with 3 local objects.
To https://github.com/bswen/bswen-project.git
   ae95887..13352d4  master -> master
➜  bswen-project git:(master)

6. Summary

In this post, I demonstrated how to solve the github personal access token issue .

Final Words + More Resources

My intention with this article was to help others who might be considering solving such a problem. So I hope that’s been the case here. If you still have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me by email: Email me

Here are also the most important links from this article along with some further resources that will help you in this scope:

Oh, and if you found these resources useful, don’t forget to support me by starring the repo on GitHub!

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