age
A simple, modern command-line file encryption tool and format with small explicit keys.
Liked as a simpler drop-in replacement for GPG encryption123, especially paired with SOPS for secrets in git and for reusing existing SSH keys.4567 The main limit is that it only encrypts8, so commenters sign separately with minisign or SSH keys.910
Why people recommend it
Simpler than GPG · 3
Commenters switched from GPG to age to escape GPG's operational complexity.
“A yubikey can hold an age key.”
“I have also switched from GPG to age.”
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Works with SOPS · 3
Commonly paired with SOPS to keep encrypted secrets in git repositories.
“I use sops and age”
“It would be nice to use something like SOPS[1] + age right from the start”
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“I love that age lets one reuse ssh identities and thus identity sharing systems.”
SSH key reuse · 2
Can encrypt to existing SSH public keys, including GitHub users' keys.
“I love that age lets one reuse ssh identities and thus identity sharing systems.”
“You can use the age tool to encrypt secrets based on ssh public keys.”
YubiKey support · 1
A YubiKey can hold an age key.
“A yubikey can hold an age key.”
Caveats and dissent
No signing · 2
Users rely on minisign or SSH keys for signatures alongside age.
“I have also switched from GPG to age.”
“A yubikey can hold an age key.”
Often compared with
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- Switching from GPG to Age 2 mentions
- Setting Up SSH Keys on macOS with Touch ID 1 mention
- Sieve – scans Cursor/Claude chat history for leaked API keys 1 mention
- Bubblewrap: A nimble way to prevent agents from accessing your .env files 1 mention
- Gpg.fail 1 mention
- Show HN: Lockenv – Simple encrypted secrets storage for Git 1 mention
Data: age.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 7
“A yubikey can hold an age key.”
“It would be nice to use something like SOPS[1] + age right from the start”
“I use sops and age”
“That's literally age.”
“You can use the age tool to encrypt secrets based on ssh public keys.”
“I love that age lets one reuse ssh identities and thus identity sharing systems.”
“I have also switched from GPG to age.”