age.nvim

Neovim plugin for encrypting and decrypting text files inside neovim using age with ease.

Table of Contents

• Installation
• Usage
• What is age?

Installation

Install Age using your favorite plugin manager. For example, with lazy.nvim:

-- ~/.config/nvim/lua/plugins/age.lua

{
    'abhi-xyz/age.nvim',
    cmd = { "Age" },
    config = function()
      local key = require('key')

      require('age').setup({
        encrypt_and_del = true, -- will remove the original file after encrypting.
        public_key = "ageXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
        private_key = key.private_key, -- defined in another lua file which is not included in git for safety
      })
    end
}

-- ~/.config/nvim/lua/key.lua

return {
  private_key = "AGE-SECRET-KEY-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
}

Usage

Age provides the :Age command with the following syntax:

:Age [action]

• [action] can be one of:
  • encrypt,
  • decrypt,
  • genkey

Examples:

• Generates an age key pair into key.txt in current working directory.

:Age genkey

• Kills the current buffer and switches to a previous buffer or creates a scratch buffer in case there is no buffer to switch, then encrypts the file with the provided age key.

:Age encrypt

• Decrypts the currently opened encrypted file, and switches to the decrypted file.

:Age decrypt

What is age?

age is a simple, modern and secure file encryption tool.

It features small explicit keys, no config options, and UNIX-style composability.

Why Choose Age Over GPG?

1. Simplicity: Age has a straightforward syntax and intuitive design, making it easier to use without extensive documentation.
2. Modern Cryptography: Age uses state-of-the-art cryptographic algorithms like X25519, ChaCha20-Poly1305, and HMAC-SHA256, ensuring robust security.
3. Minimal Attack Surface: Age's codebase is minimal and easier to audit compared to the complex and extensive GPG ecosystem.
4. Portable Keys: Age uses compact, user-friendly key formats, which are easy to manage and transfer.
5. Focused Use Case: Age is purpose-built for encrypting files securely and efficiently, without the additional complexity of key management and email encryption that GPG supports.