Question 1

What is PGP/GPG?

Accepted Answer

PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) and its open-source implementation GPG (GNU Privacy Guard) use asymmetric encryption for email encryption, file signing, and key verification. A PGP key pair consists of a public key (shared with others) and a private key (kept secret). Messages encrypted with your public key can only be decrypted with your private key.

Question 2

What is the difference between RSA and ECC keys?

Accepted Answer

RSA keys are the traditional standard — 4096-bit RSA provides strong security but larger key sizes. ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography) with Curve25519 provides equivalent security with much smaller keys and faster operations. For new keys, ECC (ed25519/curve25519) is preferred.

Question 3

Should I add a passphrase?

Accepted Answer

Yes for production keys. A passphrase encrypts the private key so that even if someone obtains the key file, they cannot use it without the passphrase. For testing purposes a passphrase is optional.

Question 4

How do I use these keys with GPG?

Accepted Answer

Import with: gpg --import publickey.asc and gpg --import privatekey.asc. Then verify with: gpg --list-keys and gpg --list-secret-keys. For email, configure your mail client with Enigmail (Thunderbird) or GPG Suite (macOS).

Question 5

Are these keys generated securely?

Accepted Answer

Yes. This tool uses the OpenPGP.js library which uses the Web Crypto API and browser's cryptographically secure random number generator. Keys are generated entirely in your browser and never transmitted to any server.

Question 6

How do I generate a PGP key pair?

Accepted Answer

Enter your name, email address, and optionally a passphrase above, then click Generate. The tool creates an RSA or ECC PGP key pair in your browser using the OpenPGP.js library. Download both the public key (share with others) and private key (keep secure). Upload your public key to a keyserver so others can find and encrypt messages to you.

Question 7

What is the difference between PGP public and private keys?

Accepted Answer

Your PGP public key is shared openly — others use it to encrypt messages that only you can read, and to verify your digital signatures. Your private key must stay secret — it decrypts messages and signs data. Never share your private key. If compromised, revoke it immediately. Store private keys encrypted with a strong passphrase.

PGP Key Generator — Free Online PGP RSA & ECC Key Pair Generator

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