Lock N' Key : The Developer's Vault

Published: (January 19, 2026 at 01:58 PM EST)
2 min read
Source: Dev.to

Source: Dev.to

Cover image for Lock N' Key : The Developer's Vault

Lock N’ Key: A Password Manager That Never Talks to the Internet

As developers, we paste secrets all the time — API keys, tokens, database URLs. And every time, we silently trust that our tools aren’t watching. I got tired of that. So I built Lock N’ Key, a developer‑first password manager with a radical idea: If there’s no server, there’s nothing to trust.

🧠 Core Idea: Zero Trust by Design

Lock N’ Key follows three non‑negotiable principles:

  • Local‑Only Storage – Your vault lives exclusively on your machine.
  • Zero Trust Networking – No backend, no sync servers, no telemetry. The core vault makes zero outbound internet requests.
  • Strong Encryption – Everything is encrypted using AES‑256‑GCM, with keys managed locally.

Think of it as a physical safe, but for your dev environment.

⚡ Built for Developer Velocity

Security shouldn’t slow you down. Lock N’ Key gives you:

  • Instant Global Search (Alt + Space)
  • Paste secrets directly into any IDE (without clipboard exposure)
  • Windows Hello biometric unlock
  • Chrome / Edge browser extension (local vault only)
  • Encrypted .lnk backups for safe cross‑device transfer

No context switching. No browser hopping. No cloud anxiety.

🔄 Cross‑Device Without Sync Servers

Instead of syncing, Lock N’ Key uses encrypted vault exports:

  1. Export an encrypted .lnk backup.
  2. Transfer via USB, cloud, or any medium.
  3. Import and decrypt locally.

Simple. Auditable. Offline‑friendly.

🛠️ Built Using Flutter

  • Local file‑based vault architecture.

🎯 Why I Built This

I didn’t want convenience at the cost of control. I wanted absolute ownership of my secrets. Lock N’ Key is my answer to that.

  • Website:
  • GitHub:

Screenshots

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