setup private git repository with restricted rights on server without root access

English Applications
#1

Hi,

a friend of mine is doing a small website-project in school (group of ~6 people). They want to use git as VCS and need acces to a server.

I have an account on the server from university, but - of course - no root access.

I could create private/public keys for them, to SSH into my account, but I don’t want them to have this power :wink:

I found ‘git-shell’, which seems to be used for restricted access with git (although I’m not sure whether I understood the functionality).

My question is:
Is it possible to configure SSH keys in that way, that the server runs them (and only them) in git-shell in a specified directory (using ~/.ssh/{config,authorized_keys})?
So that they can

  • log in with their SSH key
  • use git, execute scripts etc.
  • use git push/pull from their private+school PC
  • work only in a specific directory (like chroot) eg. ~/web-project/

OR an other idea:

  • Setup the git repository in the apache directory (eg ~/home-page/html-data/web-project).
  • create CGI scripts that build the test page and makes it accessible via http
  • use .htaccess to ensure that only persons with the username/pw can access the repository/directory

Which option could be successful? Other ideas?

Thanks in advance.

#2

If their stuff is not private, they could host it on github for free. There are also other freebie GIT sites.

#3

I know github and already talked to the friend about that, but he doesn’t want the project to be visible/accessible in public. Probably they could invest the $7 per month, but I’m not sure.