libgocryptfs/Documentation/CLI_ABI.md

Stable CLI ABI

If you want to call gocryptfs from your script or app, this is the stable ABI.

General

1. A password is piped into gocryptfs with an optional terminating newline. Any unexpected data after the final newline will cause gocryptfs to abort.
2. Always pass "--" after the options. This prevents a CIPERDIR that starts with a dash ("-") to wreak havoc.
3. Use "-q" to get rid of all informational messages. Only error messages (if any) will be printed to stderr (capture it!).
4. Check the exit code of gocryptfs. 0 is success, anything else is an error and details about that error will have been printed to stderr.

Initialize Filesystem

Bash example

$ cat mypassword.txt | gocryptfs -init -q -- CIPHERDIR

Content of "mypassword.txt":

mypassword1234

What you have to pipe to gocryptfs

1. Password
2. Optional newline

Notes

1. The CIPHERDIR directory must exist and be empty

Exit Codes

• 0 = success
• 6 = CIPHERDIR is invalid: not an empty directory
• 22 = password is empty
• 24 = could not create gocryptfs.conf
• other = please inspect the message

Mount

Bash example

$ cat mypassword.txt | gocryptfs -q -- CIPHERDIR MOUNTPOINT

What you have to pipe to gocryptfs

Same as for "Initialize Filesystem".

Notes

1. The MOUNTPOINT directory must exist and be empty.

Exit Codes

• 0 = success
• 10 = MOUNTPOINT is not an empty directory or contains CIPHERDIR
• 12 = password incorrect
• 23 = gocryptfs.conf could not be opened (does not exist, is unreadable, ...)
• other = please inspect the message

Change Password

Bash example

$ cat change.txt | gocryptfs -passwd -q -- CIPHERDIR

Content of "change.txt":

mypassword1234
newpassword9876

What you have to pipe to gocryptfs

1. Old password
2. Newline
3. New password
4. Optional newline

Exit Codes

• 0 = success
• 12 = password incorrect
• 23 = gocryptfs.conf could not be opened for reading
• 24 = could not write the updated gocryptfs.conf
• other = please inspect the message

Further Reading

Additional exit codes that are unlikely to occour are defined in exitcodes.go.