ssh_find_agent is a tool for locating existing ssh compatible agent processes (e.g., ssh-agent, gpg-agent, gnome-keyring, osx-keychain); and, optionally, setting SSH_AUTH_SOCK accordingly.

Somewhere in shell initialization (~/.bashrc or ~./.zshrc)

. ssh-find-agent.sh

Add the following to automatically choose the first agent

ssh_find_agent -a
if [ -z "$SSH_AUTH_SOCK" ]
then
   eval $(ssh-agent) > /dev/null
   ssh-add -l >/dev/null || alias ssh='ssh-add -l >/dev/null || ssh-add && unalias ssh; ssh'
fi

... or, as ssh_find_agent with -a or -c returns non-zero if it cannot find a live-agent, simply:

ssh_find_agent -a || eval $(ssh-agent) > /dev/null

To choose the agent manually run

ssh_find_agent -c

To list the agents run

ssh_find_agent

NOTE: The choose option is Useful when you actually want multiple agents forwaded. eg. pairing

• keychain
• envoy