Generating a New SSH Key and Adding it to GitHub
When you accidentally delete a Git repository and create a new one (even with the same name), the SSH key associated with the old repository will no longer work. This is because GitHub treats the new repository as a completely separate entity, even if it appears the same. To regain access, you need to generate a new SSH key pair on your local machine. Use the ssh-keygen command, specifying a strong key type like ed25519 (recommended) or rsa with a 4096-bit key. Crucially, when prompted for a filename, choose a descriptive name like id_ed25519_github_new (or similar) to avoid overwriting existing keys and facilitate management of multiple keys. Always set a strong passphrase to protect your private key. After generation, copy the public key (the .pub file) to your clipboard.
Adding the New Key to GitHub and Removing the Old Key (Optional)
Navigate to your GitHub settings, then to "SSH and GPG keys" under the "Access" section. Click "New SSH key," provide a descriptive title (e.g., "My New GitHub Key"), and paste the public key you copied into the "Key" field. Click "Add SSH key" to authorize your machine to access the new repository. While not strictly required, it's a good security practice to remove the old SSH key from your GitHub account, as it's no longer needed. This reduces the potential attack surface. You can find the old key in the same "SSH and GPG keys" section and click "Delete" next to it.
Restoring a Deleted GitHub Repository (If Applicable)
If you deleted the Git repository from GitHub itself, you might be able to restore it if it's been less than 90 days since the deletion. GitHub provides a mechanism for restoring deleted repositories within this timeframe. Go to your GitHub settings and navigate to the section for deleted repositories (usually found within the repositories section). You should see a list of recently deleted repositories. If your repository is there, you can attempt to restore it. Keep in mind that certain associated data, such as release attachments and team permissions, might not be restored. If the 90-day window has passed, or if you deleted the repository locally, recovery becomes significantly more challenging and might involve contacting GitHub support or using third-party backup/recovery services (if you had them set up).
