Setup: 3 clients, 3 separate git identities, 3 separate SSH keys. Each client uses a different git host account.

1. Generate SSH keys

One key per client:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/id_clienta -C "you@clienta.com"
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/id_clientb -C "you@clientb.com"
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/id_personal -C "you@personal.com"

2. Add public keys to each client's git service

For each client:

cat ~/.ssh/id_clienta.pub
# Paste into their GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket SSH keys page

# Test
ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_clienta -T git@github.com
# Hi client-a-account! You've successfully authenticated...

3. Create gitswitch profiles

gitswitch add clienta "Your Name" you@clienta.com --ssh-key ~/.ssh/id_clienta
gitswitch add clientb "Your Name" you@clientb.com --ssh-key ~/.ssh/id_clientb
gitswitch add personal "Your Name" you@personal.com --ssh-key ~/.ssh/id_personal

Verify:

gitswitch list

   clienta         you@clienta.com
   clientb         you@clientb.com
   personal        you@personal.com

4. Pin each repo

Navigate to each client repo and pin it:

cd ~/clients/clienta/main-repo
gitswitch pin clienta

cd ~/clients/clientb/project-x
gitswitch pin clientb

cd ~/personal/side-project
gitswitch pin personal

With shell integration installed, entering any of these repos will show a nudge:

gitswitch: this repo usually uses clienta — switch? [y/N]

Daily workflow

Starting work on a client project

cd ~/clients/clienta/main-repo
# nudge fires if identity is wrong
y  # switch immediately

gitswitch current
# clienta — Your Name <you@clienta.com>

git commit -m "Fix bug"
# committed as you@clienta.com using ~/.ssh/id_clienta

Switching between clients

cd ~/clients/clientb/project-x
y  # accept nudge to switch to clientb

gitswitch current
# clientb — Your Name <you@clientb.com>

Verify before pushing to a client repo

git log -1 --format="%an <%ae>"
# Your Name <you@clienta.com>

ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_clienta -T git@github.com
# Hi client-a-account! You've successfully authenticated...

Fix a wrong-identity commit before pushing

If you committed with the wrong identity and haven't pushed yet:

gitswitch clienta       # switch to correct identity
git commit --amend --reset-author --no-edit
git log -1 --format="%an <%ae>"
# Your Name <you@clienta.com>

Once pushed, attribution is permanent.

Troubleshooting

Permission denied (publickey) when pushing

# Check which identity is active
gitswitch current

# Check what SSH key is configured
git config --global core.sshCommand
# ssh -i /Users/you/.ssh/id_clienta -o IdentitiesOnly=yes

# Test the key directly
ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_clienta -T git@github.com

Not sure which client owns a repo

git remote -v
# origin  git@github.com:client-a-account/repo.git (fetch)

git log -3 --format="%an <%ae>"
# Shows which identities were used in recent commits

Multi-client Freelancer