Looking for a stateless password manager? There’s now a new LessPass compatible password manager designed for GNOME, though of course works in other Linux desktops.
It’s LPTK, a free open-source application written in Rust and use GTK4 for its user interface. With the app, you can generate and access your passwords, and optionally connect to a compatible LessPass server to read and store password profiles.
LPTK password manager
What are LessPass and LPTK?
With traditional password managers (e.g, KeePass), you need to first create a database file to store data. Then, you can use single master password to unlock the database to access all your passwords or save new passwords.
LessPass is a stateless password manager that does NOT store any data. No database, no sync, and works offline!
It works just like a calculator or generator. By giving a master password, username and website/service name (also it doesn’t remember what you inputted), it generates an unique passphrase for you.
Then, at anytime, anywhere, with any app clients, it will show you exact the same passphrase once you inputted same master password, username and website/service name.
It does not use master password for authentication, but for computation! Meaning only remember a master password and usernames, then you can get all the passwords with LessPass.
In case for those don’t even remember usernames, there’s an optional local API server that can store the website/service names, login-names, passphrase options (e.g, length, case sensitive or not) that you inputted, except the master password that you inputted.
LessPass clients include:
- Browser extension for Chrome / Firefox.
- Command line interface.
- Official website (of course need internet connection to access).
- Android, iOS apps.
- a HTML file (open in web browser, work offline).
And, LPTK is a GTK4 desktop application for LessPass.
Downsides:
- You need to always use the app generated passphrases for your passwords.
- If no self-hosted API server, then you need to also remember the usernames (login-names).
How to Install LPTK password manager
For LessPass browser extension, CLI, mobile apps, just go to its project page.
While LPTK is available to install in most Linux desktop or even mobile through Flatpak package.
Linux Mint 21/22 and Fedora Workstation (with 3rd party repository enabled) can install it either from Software Manager or GNOME Software.
LPTK in Linux Mint software manager
While Debian, Ubuntu, and other Linux may follow the steps below to install:
- First, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to install Flatpak daemon package:
sudo apt install flatpak
For non-Debian based systems, follow the official setup guide to enable Flatpak support.
- After that, run the command below to install LPTK flatpak package:
flatpak install https://dl.flathub.org/repo/appstream/me.ogarcia.lptk.flatpakref
After installed the package, search for and launch it from either start menu or GNOME Overview depends on your DE.
If the app icon is not visible, either log-out and back in, or start it from terminal by running command:
flatpak run me.ogarcia.lptk
To setup a self-hosted API server, try Rockpass.
Uninstall LPTK password manager
To uninstall the password manager, use command:
flatpak uninstall --delete-data me.ogarcia.lptk
Also run flatpak uninstall --unused to clear useless runtimes.
