gerhobbelt / tink

Tink is a multi-language, cross-platform, open source library that provides cryptographic APIs that are secure, easy to use correctly, and hard(er) to misuse.

Tink

A multi-language, cross-platform library that provides cryptographic APIs that are secure, easy to use correctly, and hard(er) to misuse. See also: https://developers.google.com/tink.

NOTE: Tink is moving!

As part of our roadmap we are splitting Tink into multiple GitHub repositories that will be hosted at github.com/tink-crypto and will be independently versioned.

Roughly, we are going to create one repository per language, library extension such as KMS (except Tink Python), and tools.

A few important highlights:

• The migration will be done gradually over the course of 2023 with a new release from each of the new repositories. Releases will be announced in our mailing list.
• We will keep updating each implementation/tool in github.com/google/tink for a specified amount of time; migrated implementations/tools will eventually stop being updated on github.com/google/tink. The support window depends on the specific implementation, as shown in the table below.
• New issues and pull requests should be created in the new repos.

Below is the list of resulting repositories, migration timeline and expected end of support.

Tink implementation/extension	New repository	Migration status	End of support in google/tink
Tink Java	tink-crypto/tink-java	Complete (Q1 2023)	Q3 2023
Tink Java AWS KMS extension	tink-crypto/tink-java-awskms	Complete (Q1 2023)	Q3 2023
Tink Java Google Cloud KMS extension	tink-crypto/tink-java-gcpkms	Complete (Q1 2023)	Q3 2023
Tink Java apps extension	tink-crypto/tink-java-apps	Complete (Q1 2023)	Q3 2023
Tink Tinkey	tink-crypto/tink-tinkey	Complete (Q2 2023)	Q4 2023
Tink C++	tink-crypto/tink-cc	Complete (Q2 2023)	Q2 2024
Tink C++ AWS KMS extension	tink-crypto/tink-cc-awskms	Complete (Q2 2023)	Q2 2024
Tink C++ Google Cloud KMS extension	tink-crypto/tink-cc-gcpkms	Complete (Q2 2023)	Q2 2024
Tink Go	tink-crypto/tink-go	Complete (Q3 2023)	Q1 2024
Tink Go AWS KMS extension	tink-crypto/tink-go-awskms	Complete (Q3 2023)	Q1 2024
Tink Go Google Cloud KMS extension	tink-crypto/tink-go-gcpkms	Complete (Q3 2023)	Q1 2024
Tink Go HashiCorp Vault KMS extension	tink-crypto/tink-go-hcvault	Complete (Q3 2023)	Q1 2024
Tink Python	tink-crypto/tink-py	Complete (Q3 2023)	Q1 2024
Tink Obj-C	tink-crypto/tink-objc	Complete (Q3 2023)	Q1 2024
Tink cross language tests	tink-crypto/tink-cross-lang-tests	Complete (Q3 2023)	N/A

NOTE: We are removing Tink for JavaScript/TypeScript

We are removing the Tink JavaScript/TypeScript library from our current Github repository (master branch). As part of our effort to migrate Tink to https://github.com/tink-crypto, we will not release an individual JavaScript/Typescript repository. Furthermore, the JavaScript/TypeScript directory in the current release branch (v1.7.0) will no longer be actively supported.

We aim to remove the JS/TS directory from the current Tink Github repository (master branch) on June 22, 2023. We will also deprecate the Tink npm package on this date.

See this tracking issue for more details.

Feel free to use our mailing list to raise any questions, issues or concerns.

Index

1. Introduction
2. Current status
3. Getting started
4. Learn more
5. Contact and mailing list
6. Maintainers

Introduction

Using crypto in your application shouldn't have to feel like juggling chainsaws in the dark. Tink is a crypto library written by a group of cryptographers and security engineers at Google. It was born out of our extensive experience working with Google's product teams, fixing weaknesses in implementations, and providing simple APIs that can be used safely without needing a crypto background.

Tink provides secure APIs that are easy to use correctly and hard(er) to misuse. It reduces common crypto pitfalls with user-centered design, careful implementation and code reviews, and extensive testing. At Google, Tink is one of the standard crypto libraries, and has been deployed in hundreds of products and systems.

To get a quick overview of Tink design please take a look at slides from a talk about Tink presented at Real World Crypto 2019.

Current status

Java/Android, C++, Obj-C, Go, and Python are field tested and ready for production. The latest version is 1.7.0, released on 2022-08-09.

Javascript/Typescript is in an alpha state and should only be used for testing. Please see the intent to remove statement here.

Ubuntu	macOS

Getting started

Documentation for the project is located at https://developers.google.com/tink. Currently, it details a variety of common usage scenarios and covers the Java and Python implementations. The site will be populated with more content over time.

Alternatively, you can look at all of the examples which demonstrate performing simple tasks using Tink in a variety of languages.

• Python

pip3 install tink

• Golang

go get github.com/google/tink/go/...

• Java

<dependency>
  <groupId>com.google.crypto.tink</groupId>
  <artifactId>tink</artifactId>
  <version>1.7.0</version>
</dependency>

• Android

dependencies {
  implementation 'com.google.crypto.tink:tink-android:1.7.0'
}

• Objective-C/iOS

cd /path/to/your/Xcode project/
pod init
pod 'Tink', '1.7.0'
pod install

Learn more

• Java HOW-TO
• C++ HOW-TO
• Obj-C HOW-TO
• Go HOW-TO
• Python HOW-TO
• Security and Usability Design Goals
• Supported Crypto Primitives
• Key Management
• Managing keys with Tinkey
• Known Issues

Community-driven ports

Out of the box Tink supports a wide range of languages, but it still doesn't support every language. Fortunately, some users like Tink so much that they've ported it to their favorite languages! Below you can find notable ports.

WARNING While we usually review these ports, until further notice, we do not maintain them and have no plan to support them in the foreseeable future.

• Clojure

Contact and mailing list

If you want to contribute, please read CONTRIBUTING and send us pull requests. You can also report bugs or file feature requests.

If you'd like to talk to the developers or get notified about major product updates, you may want to subscribe to our mailing list.

Maintainers

Tink is maintained by (A-Z):

• Moreno Ambrosin
• Taymon Beal
• Daniel Bleichenbacher
• William Conner
• Thai Duong
• Thomas Holenstein
• Stefan Kölbl
• Charles Lee
• Cindy Lin
• Fernando Lobato Meeser
• Atul Luykx
• Rafael Misoczki
• Sophie Schmieg
• Laurent Simon
• Elizaveta Tretiakova
• Jürg Wullschleger

Alumni:

• Haris Andrianakis
• Tanuj Dhir
• Quan Nguyen
• Bartosz Przydatek
• Enzo Puig
• Veronika Slívová
• Paula Vidas
• Cathie Yun
• Federico Zalcberg