# cPanel API 2 Functions - SSH::genkey_legacy

Warning:
The cPanel API 2 system is deprecated. We **strongly** recommend that you use [UAPI](/cpanel/introduction) instead of cPanel API 2.

## Description

This function generates an SSH key. The new SSH key will appear in the
user's `.ssh` directory.

Warnings:
- We **strongly** recommend that you use the [`SSH::genkey`](/cpanel-api-2/cpanel-api-2-modules-ssh/cpanel-api-2-functions-ssh-genkey/) function instead of this one.
- We redirected this function to the [`SSH:genkey`](/cpanel-api-2/cpanel-api-2-modules-ssh/cpanel-api-2-functions-ssh-genkey/) function. The function will no longer return HTML-formatted text.
- We **strongly** recommend that you use [UAPI](/cpanel/introduction/) instead of cPanel API 2. However, no equivalent UAPI function exists.


## Examples

### WHM API (JSON)


```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre
https://hostname.example.com:2087/cpsess###########/json-api/cpanel?cpanel_jsonapi_user=user&cpanel_jsonapi_apiversion=2&cpanel_jsonapi_module=SSH&cpanel_jsonapi_func=genkey_legacy&bits=1024&name=user&pass=12345luggage&type=rsa
```

Note:
For more information, read our [Calls from the WHM API](/whm/use-whm-api-to-call-cpanel-api-and-uapi) documentation.

### LiveAPI PHP Class


```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre
$cpanel = new CPANEL(); // Connect to cPanel - only do this once.

// Generate an SSH key for "user"
$gen_keys = $cpanel->api2(
    'SSH', 'genkey_legacy',
    array(
        'bits' => '1024',
        'name' => 'user',
        'pass' => '12345luggage',
        'type' => 'rsa',
 )
);
```

Note:
For more information, read our [Guide to the LiveAPI System](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system/#guide-to-the-liveapi-system).

### LiveAPI Perl Module


```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre
my $cpliveapi = Cpanel::LiveAPI->new(); # Connect to cPanel - only do this once.

# Generate an SSH key for "user"
my $gen_keys = $cpliveapi->api2(
    'SSH', 'genkey_legacy',
    {
        'bits' => '1024',
        'name' => 'user',
        'pass' => '12345luggage',
        'type' => 'rsa',
    }
);
```

Note:
For more information, read our [Guide to the LiveAPI System](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system).

### cPanel Tag System (deprecated)

Warnings:
- cPanel tags are **deprecated**. We **strongly** recommend that you **only** use the [LiveAPI](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system) system to call the cPanel APIs. Examples are **only** present in order to help developers move from the old cPanel tag system to our [LiveAPI](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system).
- cPanel API 2 calls that use cPanel tags vary in code syntax and in their output.
- For more information, read our [Deprecated cPanel Tag Usage](/cpanel-api-2/cpanel-api-2-deprecate-cpanel-tag-usage) documentation.


### Command Line


```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre
cpapi2 --user=username SSH genkey_legacy bits=1024 name=user pass=12345luggage type=rsa
```

div
Notes:

- You **must** URI-encode values.
- `username` represents your account-level username.
- You **must** include the `--user=username` option.
- For more information and additional output options, read our [Guide to cPanel API 2](/cpanel-api-2/) documentation or run the `cpapi2 --help` command.
- If you run CloudLinux™, you **must** use the full path of the
`cpapi2` command:

```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre
/usr/local/cpanel/bin/cpapi2
```




### Output (JSON) cPanel version 76 and earlier


```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre
{Renaming existing key by same name to /home/example/.ssh/id_dsa.1415314678<br />
Generating public/private dsa key pair.<br />
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): <br />
Enter same passphrase again: <br />
Your identification has been saved in /home/example/.ssh/id_dsa.<br />
Your public key has been saved in /home/example/.ssh/id_dsa.pub.<br />
The key fingerprint is:<br />
3f:0c:f4:9f:70:38:8b:55:78:1a:03:9e:fd:29:eb:00 <br />
The key&#39;s randomart image is:<br />
+--[ DSA 1024]----+<br />
|        .        |<br />
|       . + .     |<br />
|        + = o    |<br />
|       . . O .   |<br />
|      E S O +    |<br />
|       . * O .   |<br />
|        o * o    |<br />
|         o .     |<br />
|          .      |<br />
+-----------------+<br />
{
  "cpanelresult": {
    "apiversion": 2,
    "func": "genkey_legacy",
    "data": [

    ],
    "event": {
      "result": 1
    },
    "module": "SSH"
  }
}
```

### Output (JSON) cPanel version 78 and later


```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre
{
    "cpanelresult": {
        "apiversion": 2,
        "func": "genkey",
        "data": [{
            "reason": "Generating public/private rsa key pair.\n Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): \nEnter same passphrase again: \nYour identification has been saved in /home/example / .ssh / user.\nYour public key has been saved in /home/example / .ssh / user.pub.\nThe key fingerprint is: \n89: 7 b: 05: 97: f7: 93: ef: 66: 95: 48: d3: de: e1: 0 d: 21: 3 f \nThe key 's randomart image is: \n + --[RSA 1024]-- -- + \n | | \n | ... | \n | .o.o.. | \n | . + . + E + | \n | .S..Oo = | \n | ...*+ | \n | ..o | \n | . .o | \n | o. | \n + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - +",
            "result": 1
        }],
        "event": {
            "result": 1
        },
        "module": "SSH"
    }
}
```

Note:
Use cPanel's *[API Shell](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/advanced/api-shell-for-cpanel)* interface (*cPanel >> Home >> Advanced >> API Shell*) to directly test cPanel API calls.

## Parameters

table
thead
tr
th
strong
Parameter
th
strong
Type
th
strong
Description
th
strong
Possible values
th
strong
Example
tbody
tr
td
code
bits
td
em
string
td
p
The SSH key's level of encryption.
td
p
A positive integer of 
code
1024
 or more.
td
code
1024
tr
td
code
name
td
em
string
td
p
The SSH key's filename.
td
p
A valid string.
p
You 
strong
cannot
 use the following names:
ul
li
code
config
li
code
known_hosts
li
code
authorized_keys
li
code
environment
li
code
rc
li
code
identity
td
code
user
tr
td
code
pass
td
em
string
td
The SSH key's password.
td
A secure string of four or more characters.
td
code
12345luggage
tr
td
code
type
td
em
string
td
The SSH key's encryption method for authentication.
td
ul
li
code
dsa
li
code
rsa

This parameter defaults to 
code
rsa
.

td
code
rsa
## Returns (Version 76 and earlier)

table
thead
tr
th
strong
Return
th
strong
Type
th
strong
Description
th
strong
Possible values
th
strong
Example
tbody
tr
td
code
reason
td
em
string
td
p
A reason for failure.
p
This function only returns a 
code
reason
 value if it failed.
td
p
A string that describes the error.
td
code
This is an error message.
tr
td
code
result
td
em
Boolean
td
p
Whether the function succeeded.
td
ul
li
code
1
 — The function succeeded.
li
code
0
 — The function failed.
td
code
1 
## Returns (Version 78 and later)

table
thead
tr
th
strong
Return
th
strong
Type
th
strong
Description
th
strong
Possible values
th
strong
Example
tbody
tr
td
code
reason
td
em
string
td
The raw response from the function.
td
A string that contains the fingerprint and file location.
td
code
Generating public/private rsa key pair.\nEnter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): \nEnter same passphrase again: \nYour identification has been saved in /home/example/.ssh/user.\nYour public key has been saved in /home/example/.ssh/user.pub.\nThe key fingerprint is:\n89:7b:05:97:f7:93:ef:66:95:48:d3:de:e1:0d:21:3f \nThe key
'
s randomart image is:\n+--[ RSA 1024]----+\n|                 |\n|           .. .  |\n|        . o .o.. |\n|       . + . +E+ |\n|      . S . . Oo=|\n|       . .   . *+|\n|      . .       o|\n|       .       .o|\n|               o.|\n+-----------------+
"
tr
td
code
reason
td
em
string
td
p
A reason for failure.
p
This function only returns a 
code
reason
 value if it failed.
td
p
A string that describes the error.
td
code
This is an error message.
tr
td
code
result
td
em
Boolean
td
p
Whether the function succeeded.
td
ul
li
code
1
 — The function succeeded.
li
code
0
 — The function failed.
td
code
1