> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.autonomi.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.autonomi.com/developers/core-concepts/post-quantum-cryptography.md).

# Post-Quantum Cryptography

The post-quantum cryptography described here centers on `saorsa-pqc`, transport documentation built around ML-KEM-768 and ML-DSA-65, and `ant-keygen` release-signing with ML-DSA-65.

## Why it matters

If you are reasoning about security, transport identity, or release authenticity, you need to know which cryptographic primitives the stack uses.

## How it works

### saorsa-pqc

`saorsa-pqc` is a broader PQC library that includes:

* ML-KEM key encapsulation variants
* ML-DSA signature variants
* SLH-DSA signature variants
* BLAKE3, SHA3, HMAC, HKDF, AES-256-GCM, and ChaCha20-Poly1305

So the library itself is broader than any single Autonomi-facing transport choice.

### saorsa-transport

`saorsa-transport` describes its transport layer as pure post-quantum and highlights this pair for transport use:

* ML-KEM-768 for key exchange
* ML-DSA-65 for signatures

The transport layer has no classical fallback.

### ant-keygen

`ant-keygen` is the release-signing CLI that uses ML-DSA-65. It generates release-signing keypairs, signs files, verifies signatures, and supports a signing context for domain separation.

### Key separation and signing contexts

`saorsa-pqc` provides HKDF-SHA3-256 and HKDF-SHA3-512 as key-derivation primitives.

That means the crypto library can derive new key material from shared secrets or existing key material. `ant-keygen` also supports a signing context so one signing domain stays separate from another. The default context is `ant-node-release-v1`.

## Practical example

```bash
ant-keygen generate ./keys

ant-keygen sign \
  --key ./keys/release-signing-key.secret \
  --input ./artifact.tar.gz \
  --output ./artifact.sig

ant-keygen verify \
  --key ./keys/release-signing-key.pub \
  --input ./artifact.tar.gz \
  --signature ./artifact.sig
```

## Upstream sources

* [saorsa-pqc](https://github.com/saorsa-labs/saorsa-pqc)
* [saorsa-transport](https://github.com/saorsa-labs/saorsa-transport)
* [ant-keygen](https://github.com/WithAutonomi/ant-keygen)

## Related pages

* [Self-Encryption](/developers/core-concepts/self-encryption.md)
* [Core Concepts Overview](/developers/core-concepts/overview.md)


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.autonomi.com/developers/core-concepts/post-quantum-cryptography.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.