Building a Password Manager in Go
As a software developer, I've always been fascinated by the intersection of security and usability. Recently, I decided to embark on an exciting project: creating a command-line password manager using Go. I want to share the beginning of this journey with you, starting with the very first commit.
The Genesis
On November 27, 2023, I made the initial commit for my project, which I've named "dost" (friend in Hindi, reflecting its role as a helpful companion for password management). This first step, while small, lays the foundation for what I hope will become a robust and user-friendly tool.
Inspiration and Vision
While embarking on this project, I drew inspiration from the popular command-line password manager pass. The simplicity and effectiveness of pass caught my attention, and I decided to use its API as a blueprint for building my own password manager in Go.
Diving into the source code of pass was an eye-opening experience. I was intrigued to discover that the entire functionality of this widely-used tool is encapsulated in one comprehensive Bash script. This elegant simplicity is something I admire and hope to emulate in my own project, albeit using Go's strengths.
By studying pass, I've gained valuable insights into the essential features of a command-line password manager and the user experience it should provide. As I continue to develop "dost", I'll be keeping these lessons in mind, aiming to create a tool that combines the simplicity of pass with the performance and cross-platform compatibility benefits of Go.
This exploration has not only provided a roadmap for features to implement but also reinforced my belief in the power of well-crafted, focused tools. I'm excited to see how this inspiration will shape the evolution of "dost" in the coming stages of development.
First Features
The initial commit focused on two core functionalities:
Password Generation: I implemented a basic password generator that allows users to specify their desired password length. This feature aims to create strong, randomized passwords tailored to various security requirements.
Clipboard Integration: To enhance user experience, I ensured that the generated password is automatically copied to the clipboard. This small but crucial feature saves time and reduces the risk of transcription errors.
Technical Insights
Let's dive into some of the technical aspects of this first iteration:
- Go Version: The project is built using Go 1.21.0, leveraging the language's simplicity and efficiency.
- External Dependencies: I'm using the github.com/atotto/clipboard package to handle clipboard operations across different operating systems seamlessly.
- Random Generation: The password generation utilizes Go's crypto/rand package for secure random number generation, crucial for creating unpredictable and strong passwords.
- Character Set: The password generator includes uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, and a variety of special characters to ensure complexity.
Code Snippets
Let's look at some key parts of the implementation:
- Password Generation Function:
func generatePassword(length int) (string, error) {
const (
uppercaseLetters = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
lowercaseLetters = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
digits = "0123456789"
specialChars = "!@#$%^&*()-_=+[]{}|;:'\",.<>/?"
)
allChars := uppercaseLetters + lowercaseLetters + digits + specialChars
var password string
for i := 0; i < length; i++ {
randomIndex, err := rand.Int(rand.Reader, big.NewInt(int64(len(allChars))))
if err != nil {
return "", err
}
password += string(allChars[randomIndex.Int64()])
}
return password, nil
}
This function creates a password by randomly selecting characters from a predefined set, ensuring a mix of uppercase, lowercase, digits, and special characters.
- Clipboard Integration:
func writeToClipboard(text string) error {
return clipboard.WriteAll(text)
}
This simple function utilizes the clipboard package to write the generated password to the system clipboard.
- Main Function:
func main() {
passwordLength := flag.Int("length", 12, "length of your password")
flag.Parse()
password, err1 := generatePassword(*passwordLength)
if err1 != nil {
fmt.Println("Error generating password:", err1)
return
}
fmt.Println("Generated Password:", password)
err2 := writeToClipboard(password)
if err2 != nil {
fmt.Println("Error writing to clipboard:", err2)
os.Exit(1)
}
fmt.Println("Copied to clipboard! ✅\n")
}
The main function ties everything together. It uses Go's flag package to allow users to specify the password length, generates the password, and copies it to the clipboard.
Command-Line Interface
As you can see in the main function, I've implemented a simple CLI using Go's flag package. Users can specify the desired password length using the -length flag, with a default of 12 characters if not specified.
Looking Ahead
This first commit is just the beginning. As I continue to develop this password manager, I plan to add features such as:
- Secure storage of passwords
- Encryption of stored data
- Search and retrieval functionalities
- Password strength analysis
I'm excited about the journey ahead and the challenges it will bring. Building a password manager is not just about coding; it's about understanding security principles, user needs, and creating a tool that people can trust with their sensitive information.
Stay tuned for more updates as this project evolves. I'll be sharing my progress, challenges, and learnings along the way. If you're interested in following along or contributing, feel free to check out the project on GitHub.
svemaraju
/
dost
svemaraju
/
dost
dost command line password manager written in Go
dost
dost is a CLI password manager written in Go.
Inspired by (Pass)[https://www.passwordstore.org/]
Features
- Generate random passwords of configurable length
- Copy generated passwords to clipboard automatically
- Skip using symbols
Usage
> go build -o dost main.go
Generating password:
> ./dost generate email/vema@example.com
Generated Password: );XE,7-Dv?)Aa+&<{V-|pKuq5
Generating password with specified length (default is 25):
> ./dost generate email/vema@example.com 12 Generated Password: si<yJ=5/lEb3
Copy generated password to clipboard without printing:
> ./dost generate -c email/vema@example.com Copied to clipboard! ✅
Avoid symbols for generating passwords:
> ./dost generate -n email/vema@example.com
Generated Password: E2UST}^{Ac[Fb&D|cD%;Eij>H
Under development
- Insert a new password manually
- Show an existing password
- List all entries
- Password storage
- GPG Key based encryption
License
MIT
The above is the detailed content of Building a Password Manager in Go. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!
Hot AI Tools
Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos
AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.
Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free
Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover
Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!
Hot Article
Hot Tools
Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor
SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use
Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment
Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools
SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)
Hot Topics
What are the vulnerabilities of Debian OpenSSL
Apr 02, 2025 am 07:30 AM
OpenSSL, as an open source library widely used in secure communications, provides encryption algorithms, keys and certificate management functions. However, there are some known security vulnerabilities in its historical version, some of which are extremely harmful. This article will focus on common vulnerabilities and response measures for OpenSSL in Debian systems. DebianOpenSSL known vulnerabilities: OpenSSL has experienced several serious vulnerabilities, such as: Heart Bleeding Vulnerability (CVE-2014-0160): This vulnerability affects OpenSSL 1.0.1 to 1.0.1f and 1.0.2 to 1.0.2 beta versions. An attacker can use this vulnerability to unauthorized read sensitive information on the server, including encryption keys, etc.
Transforming from front-end to back-end development, is it more promising to learn Java or Golang?
Apr 02, 2025 am 09:12 AM
Backend learning path: The exploration journey from front-end to back-end As a back-end beginner who transforms from front-end development, you already have the foundation of nodejs,...
What libraries are used for floating point number operations in Go?
Apr 02, 2025 pm 02:06 PM
The library used for floating-point number operation in Go language introduces how to ensure the accuracy is...
What is the problem with Queue thread in Go's crawler Colly?
Apr 02, 2025 pm 02:09 PM
Queue threading problem in Go crawler Colly explores the problem of using the Colly crawler library in Go language, developers often encounter problems with threads and request queues. �...
How to specify the database associated with the model in Beego ORM?
Apr 02, 2025 pm 03:54 PM
Under the BeegoORM framework, how to specify the database associated with the model? Many Beego projects require multiple databases to be operated simultaneously. When using Beego...
In Go, why does printing strings with Println and string() functions have different effects?
Apr 02, 2025 pm 02:03 PM
The difference between string printing in Go language: The difference in the effect of using Println and string() functions is in Go...
How to solve the user_id type conversion problem when using Redis Stream to implement message queues in Go language?
Apr 02, 2025 pm 04:54 PM
The problem of using RedisStream to implement message queues in Go language is using Go language and Redis...
What should I do if the custom structure labels in GoLand are not displayed?
Apr 02, 2025 pm 05:09 PM
What should I do if the custom structure labels in GoLand are not displayed? When using GoLand for Go language development, many developers will encounter custom structure tags...
