# Install age-plugin-yubikey with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, pacman Plugin for encrypting files with age and PIV tokens such as YubiKeys. Version 0.5.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:age-plugin-yubikey ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install age-plugin-yubikey ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install age-plugin-yubikey ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: security/age-plugin-yubikey/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#age-plugin-yubikey ``` Evidence: 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 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S age-plugin-yubikey ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: age-plugin-yubikey from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:age-plugin-yubikey - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.5.1 - **Source summary:** Plugin for encrypting files with age and PIV tokens such as YubiKeys - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** Apache-2.0 OR MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - age-plugin-yubikey (cli) - age-plugin-yubikey (alias) ## Build dependencies - pkgconf - rust ## Uses from macOS - pcsc-lite ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.5.1 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/str4d/age-plugin-yubikey - Upstream latest detected: v0.5.1 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## 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 Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## 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:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - age-plugin-yubikey: normalized package name match | 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 - pacman - age-plugin-yubikey - 0.5.1-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: age-plugin-yubikey from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Yubikey plugin for age | https://github.com/str4d/age-plugin-yubikey - MacPorts - age-plugin-yubikey: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: security/age-plugin-yubikey/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [rust](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rust/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [age-plugin-se](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/age-plugin-se/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: age, cli, cryptography, encryption, security. - [aescrypt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aescrypt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, encryption, security. - [aespipe](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aespipe/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, encryption, security. - [age](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/age/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, encryption, security. - [ccrypt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ccrypt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, encryption, security. - [gnupg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnupg/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, encryption, security. - [nettle](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nettle/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, encryption, security. - [scrypt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/scrypt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cryptography, encryption, security. - [yubikey-agent](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/yubikey-agent/) - Security-sensitive metadata or terminology overlaps. Shared terms: cli, piv, security, tokens, yubikey. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/age-plugin-yubikey.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/age-plugin-yubikey.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph