exaexa/codecrypt

Codecrypt occupies a highly specialized niche as one of the few mature, GnuPG-compatible CLI tools dedicated to post-quantum cryptography. With a project age of over 13 years, it predates the current NIST PQC standardization hype, demonstrating significant domain expertise and long-term commitment. Its defensibility (score 7) stems from its implementation of 'heavyweight' but battle-tested algorithms like Classic McEliece, which are often overlooked by newer, more agile PQC libraries in favor of lattice-based schemes. While the GitHub repository is a mirror with low activity, the tool remains a 'gold standard' for power users requiring PQC today. Frontier labs (OpenAI, Google) have zero incentive to build a standalone CLI PQC tool, focusing instead on protocol-level integration (e.g., TLS 1.3). The primary threat is the eventual integration of PQC into GnuPG itself or the rise of 'age' plugins, but Codecrypt's established trust and specific algorithm support provide a durable niche for researchers and security-conscious users.