to create a key:
gpg --gen-key
generally you can select the defaults.
to export a public key into file public.key:
gpg --export -a "User Name" > public.key
This will create a file called public.key with the ascii representation of the public key for User Name. This is a variation on:
gpg --export
which by itself is basically going to print out a bunch of crap to your screen. I recommend against doing this.
gpg --export -a "User Name"
prints out the public key for User Name to the command line, which is only semi-useful
to export a private key:
gpg --export-secret-key -a "User Name" > private.key
This will create a file called private.key with the ascii representation of the private key for User Name.
It's pretty much like exporting a public key, but you have to override some default protections. There's a note (*) at the bottom explaining why you may want to do this.
to import a public key:
gpg --import public.key
This adds the public key in the file "public.key" to your public key ring.
to import a private key:
NOTE: I've been informed that the manpage indicates that "this is an obsolete option and is not used anywhere." So this may no longer work.
gpg --allow-secret-key-import --import private.key
This adds the private key in the file "private.key" to your private key ring. There's a note (*) at the bottom explaining why you may want to do this.
to delete a public key (from your public key ring):
gpg --delete-key "User Name"
This removes the public key from your public key ring.
NOTE! If there is a private key on your private key ring associated with this public key, you will get an error! You must delete your private key for this key pair from your private key ring first.
to delete an private key (a key on your private key ring):
gpg --delete-secret-key "User Name"
This deletes the secret key from your secret key ring.
To list the keys in your public key ring:
gpg --list-keys
To list the keys in your secret key ring:
gpg --list-secret-keys
