Is it possible to use pip to install a package from a private GitHub repository?

Question

As the title suggests I am trying to install a Python package from a private GitHub repository. For a public repository I can issue the following command which works fine:

pip install git+git://github.com/django/django.git

However, if I try this for a private repository:

pip install git+git://github.com/echweb/echweb-utils.git

I get the following output:

Downloading/unpacking git+git://github.com/echweb/echweb-utils.git

Cloning Git repository git://github.com/echweb/echweb-utils.git to /var/folders/cB/cB85g9P7HM4jcPn7nrvWRU+++TI/-Tmp-/pip-VRsIoo-build

Complete output from command /usr/local/bin/git clone git://github.com/echweb/echweb-utils.git /var/folders/cB/cB85g9P7HM4jcPn7nrvWRU+++TI/-Tmp-/pip-VRsIoo-build:

fatal: The remote end hung up unexpectedly

Cloning into /var/folders/cB/cB85g9P7HM4jcPn7nrvWRU+++TI/-Tmp-/pip-VRsIoo-build...

----------------------------------------

Command /usr/local/bin/git clone git://github.com/echweb/echweb-utils.git /var/folders/cB/cB85g9P7HM4jcPn7nrvWRU+++TI/-Tmp-/pip-VRsIoo-build failed with error code 128

I guess this is because I am trying to access a private repository without providing any authentication. I therefore tried to use Git + ssh hoping that pip would use my SSH public key to authenticate:

pip install git+ssh://github.com/echweb/echweb-utils.git

This gives the following output:

Downloading/unpacking git+ssh://github.com/echweb/echweb-utils.git

Cloning Git repository ssh://github.com/echweb/echweb-utils.git to /var/folders/cB/cB85g9P7HM4jcPn7nrvWRU+++TI/-Tmp-/pip-DQB8s4-build

Complete output from command /usr/local/bin/git clone ssh://github.com/echweb/echweb-utils.git /var/folders/cB/cB85g9P7HM4jcPn7nrvWRU+++TI/-Tmp-/pip-DQB8s4-build:

Cloning into /var/folders/cB/cB85g9P7HM4jcPn7nrvWRU+++TI/-Tmp-/pip-DQB8s4-build...

Permission denied (publickey).

fatal: The remote end hung up unexpectedly

----------------------------------------

Command /usr/local/bin/git clone ssh://github.com/echweb/echweb-utils.git /var/folders/cB/cB85g9P7HM4jcPn7nrvWRU+++TI/-Tmp-/pip-DQB8s4-build failed with error code 128

Is what I am trying to achieve even possible? If so, how can I do it?

Answer 1

In order to use git+ssh URI scheme, but you MUST set username:

pip install git+ssh://[email protected]/echweb/echweb-utils.git

See git@ part into URI?

PS: Also read about deploy keys.

In case of me the installation the "git+ssh" URI scheme works only with "editable" requirements:

pip install -e URI#egg=EggName

Remember that change the : character that git remote -v prints to a / character before using the remote's address in the pip command:

$ git remote -v

origin  [email protected]:echweb/echweb-utils.git (fetch)

                      ^ change this to a '/' character

If you forget, you will get this error:

ssh: Could not resolve hostname github.com:echweb:

         nodename nor servname provided, or not knowan