---
name: "ylva"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "ylva"
version: "1.7-2+b2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ylva"
---

# ylva(1)

command line password manager

## NAME

ylva - command line password manager

## SYNOPSIS

ylva \[FLAGS\] \<OPTIONS\>

## DESCRIPTION

Ylva is a command line password manager program for Unix-like operating systems.

## OPTIONS

- \-i, --init \<path\>

  Initialize new database

- \-E, --encrypt

  Encrypt current database

- \-D, --decrypt \<path\>

  Decrypt database

- \-c, --copy \<id\>

  Copy an entry to a new entry

- \-a, --add

  Add new entry

- \-p, --show-db-path

  Show current database path

- \-u, --use-db \<path\>

  Switch using another database

- \-r, --remove \<id\>

  Remove entry pointed by id

- \-f, --find \<search\>

  Search for entries

- \-F, --regex \<search\>

  Search for entries with regular expressions

- \-e, --edit \<id\>

  Edit entry pointed by id

- \-l, --list-entry \<id\>

  List entry pointed by id

- \-t, --show-latest \[count\]

  Show latest entries, parameter count is optional.

- \-A, --list-all

  Show database statuses

- \-v, --version

  Show program version

- \-g, --gen-password \<length\>

  Generate password

- \-q, --quick \<search\>

  This is the same as running --show-passwords -f

- \-h, --help

  Show short help and exit

## FLAGS

- \--auto-encrypt

  Automatically encrypt after exit

- \--show-passwords

  Show passwords in listings

- \--show-qrcode

  Show data as QR code in --list-entry

- \--force

  \--force only works with --init option

## EXAMPLES

Create a new database:\
        ylva --init "/path/to/file.db"

Open and decrypt database:\
        ylva --decrypt "/path/to/existing/file.db"

Close and encrypt database:\
        ylva --encrypt

Ylva knows what database is currently active and encrypts it. Encrypting will ask you to type a master passphrase which is used for encryption.

Add an entry to an open database:\
        ylva --add

If you want to export all entries to a file:\
        ylva --show-passwords -A \> file.txt

To show latest 10 entries:\
        ylva --show-latest 10

To show all entries ordered by date\
        ylva --show-latest

## COLORS

Ylva supports colored output. To use colors, set an environment variable YLVA\_COLOR with one of the following value: BLUE, RED, GREEN, YELLOW, MAGENTA, CYAN or WHITE.

## DEFAULT USERNAME

Ylva supports settings default username for entries. To enable it, set an environment variable YLVA\_DEFAULT\_USERNAME value to the wanted default. If you want Ylva to default to an empty username define YLVA\_DEFAULT\_USERNAME, but leave it empty.

## NOTES

Ylva does not have a concept of "change the master password". When you encrypt an open database using --encrypt you can type a master password. This password is then  required to decrypt the database. You can change the master password every time when you encrypt the database, if you want to.

## FILES

*$HOME/.ylva.lock*

## AUTHORS

Written by Niko Rosvall.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2019-2021 Niko Rosvall \<niko@byteptr.com\>

Released under MIT license.