age

Modern file encryption

low risk

interactive breakdown — edit the command and press Explain

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⚠ Risks & cautions

Back up your key file; there is no recovery.
Delete plaintext originals safely after encrypting.

What it does

Simple file encryption with public keys or passphrases.

Common flags

Flag	Meaning
`-r`	Recipient public key
`-p`	Passphrase mode
`-d`	Decrypt
`-o`	Output file

Examples

age -r age1... -o secret.age secret.txtEncrypt for a recipient · explain & risk-check →

age -d -i key.txt secret.ageDecrypt · explain & risk-check →

Related

Open the full explainer →More in Users, Permissions & Security

Reference text is hand-written and may be incomplete — check man age for your version. Test destructive commands on a non-production system first.