# Connect to a Flakery Instance via SSH

In order to connect to a flakery instance via SSH, we will need to edit the nixos configuration to allow SSH access, and then connect to the instance using the ssh command. This guide will walk you through the process of connecting to a flakery instance via SSH, and editing the nixos configuration to allow SSH access.

# Prequisites

This guide assumes that you already have a nix flake that you would like to connect to via SSH. If you do not have a nix flake, see Using the Flakery Nix Flake Template for instructions on how to create a new nix flake using the flakery template. If instead, you'd just like to create one in the current directoy, run the following command:

nix flake init -t github:getflakery/flakes#flakery

# Edit Your NixOS Configuration to Allow SSH Access

# Create a User for SSH Access

it is a good security practice to use a non root user to ssh into your flakery instance. To create a user for SSH access, add the following to your configuration.nix file:

{ config, pkgs, ... }:
let 
  flakeryDomain = builtins.readFile /metadata/flakery-domain;
in
{
  system.stateVersion = "23.05";

  users.users.flakery = {
    isNormalUser = true;
    extraGroups = [ "wheel" ]; # Enable ‘sudo’ for the user.
  };
  # allow sudo without password for wheel
  security.sudo.wheelNeedsPassword = false;

}

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this creates the flakery user and allows sudo without a password.

# Enable the OpenSSH Service

to enable the openssh service, add the following to your configuration.nix file:

{ config, pkgs, ... }:
let 
  flakeryDomain = builtins.readFile /metadata/flakery-domain;
in
{
  system.stateVersion = "23.05";

  users.users.flakery = {
    isNormalUser = true;
    extraGroups = [ "wheel" ]; # Enable ‘sudo’ for the user.
  };
  # allow sudo without password for wheel
  security.sudo.wheelNeedsPassword = false;
  
  services.openssh = {
    enable = true;
    # require public key authentication for better security
    settings.PasswordAuthentication = false;
    settings.KbdInteractiveAuthentication = false;
  };

}

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this enables the openssh service and requires public key authentication for better security.

# Add Your SSH Public Key to the Flakery Flake

If you don't already have an ssh key, you can generate one with the following command:

ssh-keygen

this will generate a new ssh key in your ~/.ssh directory. You can then add this key to your flake by editing the configuration.nix file

{ config, pkgs, ... }:
let 
  flakeryDomain = builtins.readFile /metadata/flakery-domain;
in
{
  system.stateVersion = "23.05";

  users.users.flakery = {
    isNormalUser = true;
    extraGroups = [ "wheel" ]; # Enable ‘sudo’ for the user.
  };
  # allow sudo without password for wheel
  security.sudo.wheelNeedsPassword = false;
  
  services.openssh = {
    enable = true;
    # require public key authentication for better security
    settings.PasswordAuthentication = false;
    settings.KbdInteractiveAuthentication = false;
  };

  users.users."flakery".openssh.authorizedKeys.keys = [
    # replace with your ssh key 
    "ssh-ed25519 NOTAREALKEYBUTTHISISWHEREYOURSSHOULDBEdslkfjsoi3cjnefoODIUFNI0JDNCKL+" 
  ];

}

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this adds your ssh key to the flake for the flakery user.

# Deploy Your Nix Flake using Flakery

see Deploying a Nix Flake for instructions on deploying your Nix Flake.

# Connect to Your Flakery Instance via SSH

to connect to your flakery instance via ssh, run the following command:

ssh flakery@<flakery-domain>

replace <flakery-domain> with the domain name assigned to your flakery instance.

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