a small wrapper around gpg --full-generate-key

generate-gpg-keypair.sh

#!/bin/bash
#
# Generate a key-pair of PGP keys using gpg
# -----------------------------------------
# ...a small wrapper around gpg
# ...date of creation: April 2025
# ...author: okurka12
#
#
# How it works
# ------------
# 1. You enter a base name like: joey-at-gmail-com
# 2. You proceed to the gpg --full-generate-key interactive prompt
# 3. You then have two files:
#    - joey-at-gmail-com-XXXXXXX-priv.asc
#    - joey-at-gmail-com-XXXXXXX-pub.asc
#
#
# Notes
# -----
# - Keys are NOT stored in the gpg keyring
# - Keys are ASCII-armored
# - Appropriate file permissions are set
# - Works with gpg 2.2.40
# - If you want to have the key in your gpg keyring (for example for signing
#   git commits, do gpg --import PRIVATE_KEY_FILE)
#
# Source
# ------
# https://gist.github.com/okurka12/12c49ecac41465d745b90b51c7633554
#

# obtain base key name from stdin
echo "Enter base key name."
echo "Example:"
echo "    my-key"
echo "    -> my-key-XXXXXXX-pub.asc"
echo "    -> my-key-XXXXXXX-priv.asc"
echo -n " Key name: "
read KEYNAME

# make temporary directory for gpg
TMPDIR=$(mktemp -d XXXXXXXXX-tmp-dir)
echo "Created temporary directory $TMPDIR"

# gpg key generation wizard (--expert for the ability to generate ECC keys)
gpg --homedir "$TMPDIR" --full-generate-key --expert

# check what's in the temporary keyring
FINGERPRINT=$(
    gpg --homedir "$TMPDIR" --list-keys | head -n 4 | tail -n 1 | xargs
)
FINGERPRINT_SHORT=$(echo "$FINGERPRINT" | head -c 7)

# create filenames
PRIVKEY="$KEYNAME-$FINGERPRINT_SHORT-priv.asc"
PUBKEY="$KEYNAME-$FINGERPRINT_SHORT-pub.asc"

# export keys from the temporary keyring to files
gpg --homedir "$TMPDIR" --export --armor $FINGERPRINT > "$PUBKEY"
gpg --homedir "$TMPDIR" --export-secret-keys --armor $FINGERPRINT > "$PRIVKEY"

# set file permissions
chmod 600 "$PRIVKEY"
chmod 644 "$PUBKEY"

# output information
echo "-------------------------------------------------------------------------"
echo "Fingerprint is $FINGERPRINT"
echo "Short fingerprint is $FINGERPRINT_SHORT"
echo "Keys are stored in:"
echo "  $PRIVKEY"
echo "  $PUBKEY"

# delete temporary keyring
rm -rf "$TMPDIR"