Age is a command-line utility for file encryption that utilizes hybrid cryptography to secure data for multiple recipients. It employs a combination of asymmetric key exchange and symmetric encryption to protect files, supporting access control through public keys, shared passphrases, and hardware-backed identity integration.
The tool is designed for memory-efficient operation, utilizing stream-oriented processing to handle large datasets in small, sequential chunks. It features a stanza-based metadata framing system that allows for extensible file headers and supports random-access decryption, enabling users to retrieve specific portions of an encrypted file without processing the entire data stream.
To facilitate reliable transmission across systems with limited character support, the utility includes an ASCII-armored data format that converts binary encrypted files into standard text. It uses checksummed character encoding for identity keys to improve human readability and reduce errors during key management.
