First start

On its first start envite creates its configuration directory, ~/.config/envite (or $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/envite), with a default config.json, a logs/ directory and a vaults/ directory for new local vaults. The home screen then opens with no known vaults and invites you to press n (new vault) or o (open an existing one).

Create a vault

1. Press n on the home screen (or on Vaults). The Create vault form opens.

2. Fill in the Vault group:

   • Name — the local alias the vault is listed under, 1 to 64 characters without / or \.
   • Location — chosen with ← →: Default stores the vault at ~/.config/envite/vaults/<name>.envite (the note under the field shows the exact path); Local path takes an absolute path in Vault file path; SSH puts the vault on a server, with the host in SSH host as user@host or user@host:port and the path on that host in Vault file path.

3. Fill in the First member group:

   • Your username — lowercase letters, digits, ., _ and -, up to 32 characters.
   • Password, typed twice.
   • Key derivation — Standard (64 MiB, about half a second to unlock) or High (256 MiB, about two seconds).

4. Press Enter to create the vault. It opens straight away, logged in as the first member.

The password must be strong enough before the vault is created. The rules it breaks and the advice of the strength estimator are listed under the field as you type:

• 12 to 128 characters;
• at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one digit and one symbol;
• a strength score of at least 3 out of 4, which rejects dictionary words and patterns such as Password1!.

Caution

There is no password recovery. If every member forgets their password, the content of the vault cannot be decrypted by anyone. Create the vault with at least two members, or keep your password in a password manager.

Open an existing vault

When a teammate already created the vault, add its file to your known vaults:

1. Press o on the home screen (or on Vaults). The Open existing form opens.

2. Choose the Location with ← → and give the file:

   Local path

   An absolute path in Vault file path, for example /home/ana/Sync/team.envite.

   SSH

   The host in SSH host as user@host or user@host:port, and the path of the file on that host in Vault file path.

3. Keep the Name proposed from the file name, or type another one, and press Enter.

No password is asked here: envite only reads the start of the file to learn the vault’s id. The same vault cannot be added twice under different locations.

Log in

Select the vault on the home screen and press Enter. The Login screen asks for your member name and password; the member who opened the vault last on this machine is filled in. A wrong password and an unknown member both read Invalid credentials, so the screen never reveals who is a member.

Once logged in you land on Projects. Press Esc there to save and close the vault and go back home; Ctrl-L locks it at once.

Members

A vault starts with one member, its creator. Any member can add more from Users (u on Projects); see Share a vault with a team. Every member has the same rights.

Next steps

Take the tour of the screens, or create your first project right away: press n on Projects.