SOPS, short for Secrets OPerationS, is a command-line utility for keeping sensitive values encrypted inside configuration files and other documents. Instead of turning every structured document into an opaque encrypted blob, it can preserve the surrounding YAML, JSON, ENV or INI structure while protecting the values that contain secrets.
This suits Git repositories, infrastructure configuration and deployment pipelines where teams want readable structure without committing plaintext credentials. SOPS stores the metadata required for decryption with the document and can use local public-key systems or external key-management services to protect its data key.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Supports YAML, JSON, ENV, INI and binary files, with format-aware handling for structured documents.
- Encrypts data keys with age, PGP, AWS KMS, Google Cloud KMS, Azure Key Vault and HuaweiCloud KMS.
- Uses .sops.yaml creation rules to select keys and settings according to paths or filename patterns.
- Supports key groups and Shamir Secret Sharing thresholds when access should depend on several master keys.
- Can rotate a data key and re-encrypt an existing document without rebuilding its configuration.
- Provides commands for adding or removing master keys as team membership or infrastructure changes.
- Calculates authentication data to detect unauthorised additions, removals or alterations within structured files.
- Can set, unset and extract selected values from structured documents from the command line.
Website: github.com/getsops/sops
Support:
Developer: SOPS maintainers (CNCF project)
License: Mozilla Public License v2.0
SOPS is written in Go. Learn Go with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| CLI File Encryption Tools | |
|---|---|
| SOPS | Editor of encrypted files |
| age | Simple file encryption tool |
| GnuPG | Implementation of the OpenPGP standard |
| Sequoia PGP | Comprehensive OpenPGP implementation |
| horcrux | File splitter with encryption and redundancy |
| rage | Simple encryption tool using the age format |
| Kryptor | Simple, modern, and secure file encryption and signing tool |
| transcrypt | Transparently encrypt sensitive files stored in Git repositories |
| Picocrypt | Very small (hence Pico), very simple, yet very secure encryption tool |
| enc | Designed as a modern, approachable alternative to GnuPG |
| ccrypt | Tool for encrypting and decrypting files and streams |
| Encpipe | Billed as the simplest encryption tool in the world |
| Volaris | Encryption tool designed to prioritize privacy and security |
| sigtool | Sign, verify, encrypt and decrypt files from the command line |
| eddy | Simple and fast CLI file encryption |
| Xecrets Cli | AxCrypt compatible encryption tool |
| nacrypt | Simple and easy-to-use file encryption utility |
| agevault | Encrypt and decrypt directories securely using age |
| v02enc | Symmetric encryption for multiple recipients |
| PurrCrypt | Fur-ociously secure encryption tool |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
| Secrets Management | |
|---|---|
| OpenBao | Manage, store, and distribute sensitive data |
| SOPS | Editor of encrypted files |
| Sealed Secrets | One-way encrypted secrets |
| Vault | Tool for securely accessing secrets |
| Infisical | Secrets management, PKI, and SSH access |
| fnox | Encrypted/remote secret manager |
| Envy | Slick TUI for browsing secrets and a CLI for automation |
| Chamber | Modern secret management solution |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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