ssh_key library

Encoding and decoding public and private keys.

The file formats supported by this library focuses on formats used by various implementations of the SSH protocol. But some of the formats are used by other programs too.

Currently, this library only supports public and private keys using the RSA algorithm.

See the PubKeyEncoding and PvtKeyEncoding enumerations for the file formats that are supported. Some of these formats can represent additional information besides the key (namely a comment and/or other attributes). That additional information is supported by the decoding and encoding operations implemented in this library.

Decoding keys

Decoding public keys

To decode text into a public key, use the publicKeyDecode function. It returns an instance of the abstract Pointy Castle class PublicKey. Its type should be determined and then up-casted into that class to access additional members and methods.

For example, into a PointyCastle RSAPublicKey to use it as an RSA public key, or into a ssh_key RSAPublicKeyWithInfo to access any comments/properties that were in the text.

final k = publicKeyDecode(str);
if (k is RSAPublicKeyWithInfo) {
  final rsaKey = k as RSAPublicKeyWithInfo;
  // rsaKey is a PointyCastle RSAPublicKey with additional properties
  // and methods.
}

When there are multiple public keys to be decoded (such as in the OpenSSH authorized_keys file), use the publicKeyDecodeAll function.

Decoding private keys

Note: private key support is currently experimental, and only supports private keys that are not protected by a passphrase.

To decode text into a private key, use the privateKeyDecode function. It returns an instance of the abstract Pointy Castle class PrivateKey. Its type should be determined and then up-casted into that class to access additional members and methods.

For example, casting it into a PointyCastle RSAPrivateKey to use it as an RSA private key, or into a RSAPrivateKeyWithInfo to access any comment that was in the encoding.

Encoding keys

Encoding public keys

To encode a public key into text, use the encode method on the public key.

That method is defined in the PublicKeyExt extension on the Pointy Castle PublicKey class. Therefore, it can be invoked on a PublicKey or a subclass (e.g. RSAPublicKey or RSAPublicKeyWithInfo).

RSAPublicKey k = ...
String text = k.encode(PubKeyEncoding.pkcs1);

Encoding private keys

To encode a private key into text, use the encode method on the private key.

That method is defined in the PrivateKeyExt extension on the Pointy Castle PrivateKey class. Therefore, it can be invoked on a PrivateKey or a subclass (e.g. RSAPrivateKey or RSAPrivateKeyWithInfo).

Decoding keys

Decoding public keys

Decoding private keys

Encoding keys

Encoding public keys

Encoding private keys

Classes

Enums

Mixins

Extensions

Functions

Exceptions / Errors

ssh_key package

ssh_key library