zxtx 0.1.3

ZXTX file format support.

ZXTX

ZXTX is a secure, compressed, and verifiable file format for structured text and binary data. It supports optional encryption, compression, and cryptographic signing, making it ideal for transmitting sensitive files safely.

Built in Python. Powered by cryptography.

Features

• AES-256-CTR + HMAC authenticated encryption
• LZMA and Zlib compression support
• Ed25519 and RSA signing and verification
• Structured file format with typed headers and bodies
• Command-line interface (CLI) for reading, writing, and inspecting .zxtx files

Installation

pip install zxtx

Or with PDM:

pdm add zxtx

Usage

Writing a ZXTX file

zxtx write input.txt output.zxtx --cipher aes256_ctr_hmac --compression zstd --private-key mykey.pem --certificate mycert.pem --password "supersecret"

Reading a ZXTX file

zxtx read example.zxtx output.txt --private-key mykey.pem --public-key pubkey.pem --password "supersecret"

Dumping metadata

zxtx dump example.zxtx --public-key pubkey.pem

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Supported Methods

Cipher Methods

• none
• aes256_gcm
• chacha20_poly1305

Compression Methods

• none
• zlib
• lzma
• brotli

Format Specification

The ZXTX file format is formally documented in SPECIFICATION.md. It defines:

• Magic header
• Versioning
• Field layout
• Signature embedding, etc

Security Notes

• ZXTX uses AEAD (authenticated encryption) to prevent tampering.
• Private keys can be password-encrypted.
• Signature verification ensures authenticity.
• Don't share your private key. Use a certificate for signing and a public key for verification.

Python API

from zxtx.highlevel import open

with open("file.zxtx", password=b"secret", public_key=b"...") as f:
    data = f.read_bytes()

See the zxtx.highlevel module for full API details.

License

MIT License – Copyright (c) 2025 voyager-2021 (ZXTX)