---
name: "ykls"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "ykls"
version: "1.3.4-2+b22"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ykls"
---

# ykls(1)

go-ykpiv go-ykpiv is a high level cgo wrapper around libykpiv.so.1 that implements an idiomatic go API fit for use when applications need to communicate with a Yubikey in PIV mode.

## NAME

**ykls** - go-ykpiv

go-ykpiv is a high level cgo wrapper around **libykpiv.so.1** that implements an idiomatic go API fit for use when applications need to communicate with a Yubikey in PIV mode.

## What's PIV?

PIV Cards are cards defined by FIPS 201, a Federal US Government standard defining the ID cards employees use. At its core, it's a set of x509 Certificates and corresponding private keys in a configuration that is standardized across implementations.

For more details on how PIV Tokens can be used, the FICAM (Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management) team at GSA (General Services Administration) has published some guides on GitHub under GSA/piv-guides *https://github.com/GSA/piv-guides*

## How is this different than OpenSC?

Most PIV tokens, Yubikeys included, can be used as a PKCS#11 device using OpenSC *https://github.com/opensc/opensc*, and Yubikeys are even capable of doing Signing and Decryption through that interface. However, some management functions are not exposed in the PKCS#11 OpenSC interface, so this library may be of use when one wants to write a new Certificate, or set PINs.

## Testing

To run the tests, you'll need to find a Yubikey that you're willing to wipe clean, and destroy all data on it. After you've found such a key, remove all other Yubikeys from your machine.

The tests will panic if the **YKPIV\_YES\_DESTROY\_MY\_KEY** environment variable is unset.

Running the tests will **reset** your Yubikey a few times (once per test), and you will wind up with a key with the default PIN, PUK and Management Key.

## Debian

```
sudo apt install build-essential libykpiv-dev
go get pault.ag/go/ykpiv
```

## MacOS X

```
brew install yubico-piv-tool
go get pault.ag/go/ykpiv
```

```
package main
import (
	"fmt"
	"pault.ag/go/ykpiv"
)
func main() {
	yubikey, err := ykpiv.New(ykpiv.Options{
		// Verbose: true,
		Reader: "Yubico Yubikey NEO U2F+CCID 01 00",
	})
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}
	defer yubikey.Close()
	version, err := yubikey.Version()
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}
	fmt.Printf("Application version %s found.\n", version)
}
```

- 1\.

  Download **yubico-piv-tool-1.7.0-win64.zip** from the official site

- 2\.

  Create directory win in the root of the project

- 3\.

  Copy **lib** and **include** directories from the downloaded archive to the **win** directory

- 4\.

  Copy all DLLs from the **bin** directory in the archive to the root of your project

- 5\.

  Copy **libwinpthread-1.dll** from **C:\\TDM-GCC-64\\bin** to the root of your project

-

  Eric Chiang has published piv-go *https://github.com/ericchiang/piv-go*, a go implementation of the yubikey piv bindings.

  ```
  Copyright (c) Paul R. Tagliamonte <paultag@gmail.com>, 2017
  Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
  of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
  in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
  to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
  copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
  furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
  The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
  all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
  THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
  IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
  FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
  AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
  LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
  OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
  THE SOFTWARE.
  ```