Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/jssblck/agents --skill using-sops- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads using-sops automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Using sops
Repositories that use this layout commit their secrets to git as sops-encrypted
dotenv files, one per deployment environment: secrets/dev.env, secrets/prod.env. The
files decrypt with age identities. There is no .env, no secrets service, and no session
to log in to. Every checkout, worktree, and cloud sandbox has the encrypted files at
clone; the only input anywhere is an age private key.
pnpm secrets (tools/secrets.ts) is the only interface. Do not call sops directly in a
repo that has the wrapper.
Identities
| Identity | Scope | Where the private key lives | Decrypts |
|---|---|---|---|
agent | user-wide | ~/.config/sops/age/keys.txt on every machine agents run on; SOPS_AGE_KEY in cloud sandboxes | dev.env |
personal | user-wide | the user's password manager | files listing its public key |
prod | per project | that project's production platform and documented password-manager item | prod.env |
.sops.yaml lists recipients by public key. Encrypting needs no private key; decrypting
or editing needs one recipient's private key. agent and personal are local-development
keys shared by every project; prod is minted per project so one leaked deploy variable
exposes one project. These are conventions, not guaranteed recipients. Existing repos
may use only shared dev and prod keys. Read the repository's secrets guide and
.sops.yaml before choosing a key; the encrypted file's recipient metadata determines
which identities can decrypt it.
Agent workflow
Dev secrets are yours to manage without asking:
pnpm secrets show dev # everything, decrypted
pnpm secrets get dev STRIPE_KEY
pnpm secrets set dev STRIPE_KEY sk_test_1
pnpm secrets unset dev STRIPE_KEY
pnpm secrets exec dev -- node apps/worker/src/main.ts
exec puts the decrypted values in the child's environment (over the shell's), removes
SOPS_AGE_KEY* from it, forwards signals, and exits with the child's status.
When an authorized task needs production secrets, perform elevation yourself. Do not ask the user to run the command or reconfirm an already authorized task.
- Check access with
pnpm secrets exec prod -- true, which prints no secret values. An existing.age/elevatedfile alone does not prove that its key can decrypt prod. - If access fails, read the repo's secrets guide and recipient configuration. Use the
documented account, vault, item, and field for a matching key. Do not assume a
Personalvault, anage-personalrecipient, or the CLI's default account. - Run the documented read yourself, piping the key directly into the wrapper:
op read 'op://VAULT/ITEM/FIELD' --account ACCOUNT | pnpm secrets elevate. Replace the placeholders with the discovered identifiers; never print the key. - Confirm decryption with
pnpm secrets exec prod -- true, then continue the task.
When the documented 1Password location is missing, use op account list --format json
and op vault list --account ACCOUNT --format json to identify the correct account and
vault. Search item metadata in that vault for the documented key name with
op item list --account ACCOUNT --vault VAULT --format json; inspect only matching
items. Pass --account on subsequent reads. Private, Personal, and Shared are
distinct names, not interchangeable aliases. If a key is found but cannot decrypt,
compare its public key with the file's recipients instead of repeatedly trying vault
names. Keep private keys out of tool output.
Ask the user only when progress requires their interaction, such as unlocking
1Password or granting unavailable access. State the actual blocker. Elevation is per
checkout and lasts until .age/elevated is deleted; do not copy it into another worktree.
When you add a variable, add it to the env schema and to every secrets/<env>.env you can
decrypt. If you cannot decrypt prod, say so in the PR: the typed env check fails the prod
boot until the value is set, which is the intended signal.
Never write an AGE-SECRET-KEY-... into a tracked file, a log, or a commit. Never put personal or prod in a cloud
environment.
Human setup
For the one-time steps (generating keys, installing sops and age, wiring the agent
key into agent tools and cloud sandboxes, configuring the prod platform, and rotating
keys), read references/setup.md. When the user asks
to be reminded of the steps, walk them through that file in order.
For the sops and age behavior the design relies on (identity union, updatekeys,
exec-env limitations, dotenv quirks), read references/sops-notes.md.
FAQ
What does the using-sops skill do?
Use for secrets or key setup in a repo with .sops.yaml, encrypted environment files, or a pnpm secrets script.
How do I install using-sops?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/jssblck/agents --skill using-sops in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/using-sops/ (personal) or .claude/skills/using-sops/ (project).
Which AI agents can use using-sops?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is using-sops safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains using-sops?
It is published by jssblck in jssblck/agents. It has 1,667 recorded installs.
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