ipfs/kubo · error

unrecognized key type: %s

Error message

unrecognized key type: %s

What it means

Generate switches on the requested key algorithm (e.g. RSA, Ed25519, ECDSA, secp256k1) to call the matching crypto key generator. An algorithm value outside the recognized set falls into the default branch and returns this error.

Source

Thrown at core/coreapi/key.go:113

		pk = pub
	case "ed25519":
		priv, pub, err := crypto.GenerateEd25519Key(rand.Reader)
		if err != nil {
			return nil, err
		}

		sk = priv
		pk = pub
	case "secp256k1":
		priv, pub, err := crypto.GenerateSecp256k1Key(rand.Reader)
		if err != nil {
			return nil, err
		}

		sk = priv
		pk = pub
	default:
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unrecognized key type: %s", options.Algorithm)
	}

	err = api.repo.Keystore().Put(name, sk)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, err
	}

	pid, err := peer.IDFromPublicKey(pk)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, err
	}

	return newKey(name, pid)
}

// List returns a list keys stored in keystore.
func (api *KeyAPI) List(ctx context.Context) ([]coreiface.Key, error) {
	_, span := tracing.Span(ctx, "CoreAPI.KeyAPI", "List")

View on GitHub (pinned to 329838acdf)

Solutions

1. Use one of the supported --type values: RSA, Ed25519, ECDSA, secp256k1 (exact casing/values per `ipfs key gen --help`).
2. Fix the algorithm string in the script/config that produced the wrong value.
3. Check the kubo/crypto implementation in use if you need an algorithm you believe should be supported.

Example fix

// before
ipfs key gen mykey --type=ed
// after
ipfs key gen mykey --type=ed25519

var valid = map[string]bool{"RSA": true, "Ed25519": true, "ECDSA": true, "secp256k1": true}
if !valid[options.Algorithm] {
    return fmt.Errorf("unsupported key type %q; use RSA, Ed25519, ECDSA, or secp256k1", options.Algorithm)
}

func knownKeyType(t string) bool {
    switch t {
    case "RSA", "Ed25519", "ECDSA", "secp256k1":
        return true
    }
    return false
}

sk, err := genKey(options.Algorithm, options.Size)
if err != nil {
    return fmt.Errorf("key type %q not supported by this build: %w", options.Algorithm, err)
}

When it happens

Trigger: KeyAPI.Generate with caopts.KeyGenerateOptions whose Algorithm is misspelled, empty, or unsupported by this crypto build (e.g. `ipfs key gen k --type=rsa4096` or `--type=ed` instead of ed25519).

Common situations: Typo in the --type flag in scripts; keys generated on a binary built without a particular crypto backend; copying flag values from docs of a different tool/version.

Related errors

• cannot create key with name 'self'
• cannot rename key with name 'self'
• cannot overwrite key with name 'self'
• unrecognized key type: %s
• refusing to export key to %s: not a regular file, character

AI-assisted analysis of ipfs/kubo@329838acdf (2026-09-03). Data as JSON: /api/errors/daa91fb8c568c45e. Report an issue: GitHub.