niceware


A JS library for generating random-yet-memorable passwords, either server-side in Node or in the browser. Each word provides 16 bits of entropy, so a useful password requires at least 3 words.

Because the wordlist is of exactly size 2^16, Niceware is also useful for convert cryptographic keys and other sequences of random bytes into human-readable phrases. With Niceware, a 128-bit key is equivalent to an 8-word phrase.

Demo: https://diracdeltas.github.io/niceware/

**WARNING: The wordlist has not been rigorously checked for offensive words.
Use at your own risk.**

Sample use cases

* Niceware can be used to generate secure, semi-memorable, easy-to-type
passphrases. A random 3-5 word phrase in Niceware is equivalent to a strong
password for authentication to most online services. For instance,
+8svofk0Y1o= and bacca cavort west volley are equally strong (64 bits of
randomness).
* Niceware can be used to display cryptographic key material in a way that
users can easily backup or copy between devices. For instance, the 128-bit
random seed used to generate a 256-bit ECC key (~equivalent to
a 3072-bit RSA key) is only 8 Niceware words. With this 8-word phrase, you
can reconstruct the entire public/private key pair.

Usage in Node

To install:

``
npm install niceware
`

To generate an 8-byte passphrase:

`
const niceware = require('niceware')

// The number of bytes must be even
const passphrase = niceware.generatePassphrase(8)

// Result: [ 'deathtrap', 'stegosaur', 'nilled', 'nonscheduled' ]
`

Usage in browser

To use Niceware in modern browsers, include
browser/niceware.js in a script
tag. Niceware is then available in the window.niceware object.

`


`

Niceware uses window.{crypto, msCrypto}.getRandomValues for entropy in the browser.

Docs

NOTE: When used in the browser, Buffer is replaced with window.Uint8Array.

* niceware ⏏
* .bytesToPassphrase(bytes) ⇒ Array.<string>
* .passphraseToBytes(words) ⇒ Buffer
* .generatePassphrase(size) ⇒ Array.<string>

$3

#### niceware.generatePassphrase(size) ⇒ Array.<string>
Generates a random passphrase with the specified number of bytes.
NOTE: size` must be an even number.

Kind: static method of niceware

| Param | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| size | number | The number of random bytes to use |

Niceware ports

* Chrome extension, thanks to Noah Feder: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/niceware-password/dhnichgmciickpnnnhfcljljnfomadag
* pip package, thanks to Alex Willmer: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/niceware
* CLI, thanks to Alex Cross: https://www.npmjs.com/package/nicepass
* TypeScript package that exports ESM/CommonJS modules, supports Deno, and improves DX: https://github.com/grempe/niceware-ts

Credits

Niceware was inspired by
Diceware. Its wordlist is
derived from the SIL English word list. This project
is based on my work on OpenPGP key backup for the Yahoo
End-to-End project.