I. Command Reference

Table of Contents
sign — sign a document
detach-signature — make a detached signature
encrypt — encrypt a document
symmetric — encrypt a document using only a symmetric encryption algorithm
decrypt — decrypt an encrypted document
clearsign — make a cleartext signature
verify — verify a signed document
gen-key — generate a new keypair
gen-revoke — generate a revocation certificate for a public/private keypair
send-keys — send keys to a key server
recv-keys — retrieve keys from a key server
list-keys — list information about keys
list-public-keys — list keys on public keyrings
list-secret-keys — list keys on secret keyrings
list-sigs — list information about keys including signatures
check-sigs — list information about keys including validated signatures
fingerprint — display key fingerprints
import — import keys to a local keyring
fast-import — import/merge keys
export — export keys from a local keyring
export-all — export all public keys
export-secret-keys — export secret keys
edit-key — presents a menu for operating on keys
sign-key — sign a public key with a private key
lsign-key — locally sign a public key with a private key
delete-key — remove a public key
delete-secret-key — remove a public and private key
store — make only simple rfc1991 packets
export-ownertrust — export assigned owner-trust values
import-ownertrust — import owner-trust values
update-trustdb — update the trust database
print-md — display message digests
gen-random — generate random data
gen-prime — ?
version — display version information
warranty — display warranty information
help — display usage information

Key specifiers

Many commands and options require a key specifier. A key specifier is the key ID or any portion of ther user ID of a key. Consider the following example.

alice% gpg --list-keys chloe
pub  1024D/B87DBA93 1999-06-28 Chloe (Jester) <chloe@cyb.org>
uid                            Chloe (Plebian) <chloe@tel.net>
sub  2048g/B7934539 1999-06-28
For this key, 0xB87DBA93, Chloe, Plebian, and oe@tel are all examples of key specifiers that match the above key.