Node.js v15.14.0 documentation

Table of contents

Web Crypto API#

Stability: 1 - Experimental

Node.js provides an implementation of the standard Web Crypto API.

Use require('crypto').webcrypto to access this module.

const { subtle } = require('crypto').webcrypto;

(async function() {

  const key = await subtle.generateKey({
    name: 'HMAC',
    hash: 'SHA-256',
    length: 256
  }, true, ['sign', 'verify']);

  const digest = await subtle.sign({
    name: 'HMAC'
  }, key, 'I love cupcakes');

})();

Examples#

Generating keys#

The <SubtleCrypto> class can be used to generate symmetric (secret) keys or asymmetric key pairs (public key and private key).

AES keys#
const { subtle } = require('crypto').webcrypto;

async function generateAesKey(length = 256) {
  const key = await subtle.generateKey({
    name: 'AES-CBC',
    length
  }, true, ['encrypt', 'decrypt']);

  return key;
}
Elliptic curve key pairs#
const { subtle } = require('crypto').webcrypto;

async function generateEcKey(namedCurve = 'P-521') {
  const {
    publicKey,
    privateKey
  } = await subtle.generateKey({
    name: 'ECDSA',
    namedCurve,
  }, true, ['sign', 'verify']);

  return { publicKey, privateKey };
}
ED25519/ED448/X25519/X448 Elliptic curve key pairs#
const { subtle } = require('crypto').webcrypto;

async function generateEd25519Key() {
  return subtle.generateKey({
    name: 'NODE-ED25519',
    namedCurve: 'NODE-ED25519',
  }, true, ['sign', 'verify']);
}