install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install age-plugin-yubikey

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install age-plugin-yubikey

MacPorts ports tree · security/age-plugin-yubikey/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#age-plugin-yubikey

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ag/age-plugin-yubikey/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S age-plugin-yubikey

Arch Linux sync databases · age-plugin-yubikey · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

overview

Package summary

Plugin for encrypting files with age and PIV tokens such as YubiKeys

Project links

Commands and aliases

age-plugin-yubikey

history

Project history and usage

age-plugin-yubikey is the YubiKey/PIV hardware-token plugin for age clients, storing key material on supported YubiKeys while giving age and rage a normal identity-file interface.

Project history

The project was created by str4d in August 2020, during the early period of the age ecosystem. Its first stable public release, v0.1.0, was published in May 2021, before age 1.0. The README presents it as a plugin for age clients such as age and rage, enabling files to be encrypted to age identities stored on YubiKeys.

The plugin matured alongside age's plugin support. age 1.1.0 was released in December 2022 with plugin and YubiKey support, while age-plugin-yubikey had already reached the 0.3.x series. Later releases continued through 0.5.x, with official packages and prebuilt binaries making it less of a from-source Rust tool and more of a normal installable CLI.

Adoption history

The upstream README lists Cargo, Homebrew, Arch Linux, Debian packages from releases, NixOS, Ubuntu, OpenBSD, and prebuilt binaries for Windows, Linux, and macOS. The supplied package metadata additionally records Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, and pacman coverage. This is a wider packaging footprint than many age plugins because hardware-token support is a common operational need.

How it is used

Users configure a YubiKey identity either interactively by running `age-plugin-yubikey` or programmatically with `--generate`, then save the resulting age identity text to a file. Encryption uses recipients printed by `--list`; decryption works by ensuring the plugin is on `PATH` and passing the identity file to an age client with `-i`.

The README documents platform dependencies such as `pcscd` and `pcsc-lite`, WSL usage, PIN-cache behavior, supported YubiKey 4 and 5 variants, PIV slot details, and security management for default PIN and management-key handling.

Why package nerds care

This package matters in the age ecosystem because it turns the plugin protocol into real hardware-backed daily use. It also shows the messy package-manager side of security tooling: Rust binary distribution, PC/SC middleware, distro packages, and USB-token platform support all have to line up before the simple age CLI flow feels simple.

Timeline

2020: GitHub repository created.
2021: v0.1.0 released.
2022: v0.3.0 released; age v1.1.0 added plugin and YubiKey support.
2024: v0.5.0 released.
2026: v0.5.1 released.

Related projects

age is the reference age client and file encryption tool.
rage is the Rust age client named by the README as a supported client.
yubikey-agent is mentioned by the README as a possible integration point for future agent-style decryption support.

Sources

age official releases API
official GitHub releases API
official GitHub repository metadata
source_facts.package-manager
upstream README

security posture

Risk level: blue

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

Risk classifier

blue risk · medium confidence · tool

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

Signals

text:encrypt

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 2 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`age-plugin-yubikey`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version0.5.1

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.5.1

https://github.com/str4d/age-plugin-yubikey

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:age-plugin-yubikey
Version	0.5.1
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/age-plugin-yubikey
Homepage	https://github.com/str4d/age-plugin-yubikey
Repository	https://github.com/str4d/age-plugin-yubikey
Upstream docs	https://github.com/str4d/age-plugin-yubikey#readme
License	Apache-2.0 OR MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/str4d/age-plugin-yubikey/archive/refs/tags/v0.5.1.tar.gz
Build dependencies	pkgconf, rust
Uses from macOS	pcsc-lite
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	age-plugin-yubikey
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

age-plugin-yubikey

nix profile install nixpkgs#age-plugin-yubikey

normalized package name match
Matched by: Age Plugin Yubikey

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ag/age-plugin-yubikey/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

pacman95%

age-plugin-yubikey 0.5.1-1

Yubikey plugin for age

https://github.com/str4d/age-plugin-yubikey

sudo pacman -S age-plugin-yubikey

License: Apache-2.0 AND MIT
Architecture: x86_64
3 dependencies
2 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Age Plugin Yubikey

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: age-plugin-yubikey from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

MacPorts95%

age-plugin-yubikey

sudo port install age-plugin-yubikey

normalized package name match
Matched by: Age Plugin Yubikey

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: security/age-plugin-yubikey/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/age-plugin-yubikey.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install age-plugin-yubikey with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, pacman