xkcdpass1

Generate memorable, secure multiword passphrases

Usage

xkcdpass [options]

xkcdpass --help

A flexible and scriptable password generator which generates strong passphrases, inspired by XKCD 936:

--wordfile WORDFILE, -w WORDFILE: Specify that the file WORDFILE contains the list of valid words from which to generate passphrases.

--min MIN_LENGTH: Minimum number of letters required in words used to make password. (Default: 5)

--max MAX_LENGTH: Maximum number of letters allowed in words used to make password. (Default: 9)

--numwords NUM_WORDS, -n NUM_WORDS: Generate passphrases containing exactly NUM_WORDS words. (Default: 6)

--interactive, -i: Generate and output a passphrase, query the user to accept it, and loop until one is accepted.

--valid_chars VALID_CHARS, -v VALID_CHARS: Limit passphrases to only include words matching the regex pattern VALID_CHARS (e.g. '[a-z]').

--acrostic ACROSTIC, -a ACROSTIC: Generate passphrases with an acrostic matching ACROSTIC.

--delimiter DELIM, -d DELIM: Separate words within a passphrase with DELIM. (Default: ' ')

--separator SEP, -s SEP: Separate generated passphrases with SEP. (Default: ' ')

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xkcdpass

Generates one passphrase with the default options. Example output:

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xkcdpass --count=5 --acrostic='chaos' --delimiter='|' --min=5 --max=6 --valid_chars='[a-z]'

Generates 5 passphrases, all from lower-case words and meeting the acrostic "chaos", delimited by the "|" character. Example output:

: collar|highly|asset|ovoid|sultan caper|hangup|addle|oboist|scroll couple|honcho|abbot|obtain|simple cutler|hotly|aortae|outset|stool cradle|helot|axial|ordure|shale

6 releases since Debian 9 (Stretch); the text changed 4 times.

--separator since Debian 10 (Buster); --valid_chars since Arch Linux 2026-11-01; -s since Debian 10 (Buster).

--case until Debian 13 (Trixie); --valid-chars until Debian 13 (Trixie); -C until Debian 13 (Trixie).