<keygen> is a deprecated tag in HTML that is used to generate key pairs in forms for secure verification. 1. The function of <keygen> is to allow the browser to generate public and private keys, which are often used for client certificate generation; 2. Its common attributes include name, challenge, keytype, etc., to control the key generation behavior; 3. The reason for the deprecation is that modern browsers gradually abandon support and have a more flexible Web Crypto API to replace it; 4. For old system maintenance, it is recommended to record dependencies, gradually migrate to modern encryption solutions, and mark their deprecated status in the document.
In web development, some HTML elements are outdated, understanding their purpose and background can still help understand the logic of some old systems. The <keygen></keygen>
tag is one of them.

It was originally used to generate key pairs in forms, and is often used for secure verification processes when users register, such as the generation of client certificates. Although it has been deprecated now (and modern browsers are gradually no longer supported), it is worth knowing when maintaining old systems or learning historical security mechanisms.
1. What is <keygen></keygen>
?
The purpose of the <keygen></keygen>
tag is to allow the browser to generate a public and private key pair, which is usually used in conjunction with the server side for authentication. It has been widely used in scenarios where client certificates are required, such as internal enterprise login, SSL client authentication, etc.

This element appears in the form, and when the user submits the form, the browser sends the public key to the server, and the private key is saved on the user's local device.
For example:

<form method="post" action="/register"> <input type="text" name="username"> <keygen name="pubkey"> <input type="submit" value="Register"> </form>
In this example, when a user submits a form, in addition to the user name, the generated public key information will also be brought with him.
2. Common properties and uses
Although <keygen>
is used relatively simple, it supports several key properties to control key generation behavior:
-
name
: Must be set to identify the data received by this field on the server side. -
challenge
: A string that will be included in the certificate request for server verification. -
keytype
: Specifies the generated key type, common values includersa
,dsa
,ec
, etc. -
autofocus
anddisabled
: Standard Boolean properties, control focus and disabled state.
For example:
<keygen name="user_key" challenge="abc123" keytype="rsa">
In this way, the browser will include "abc123"
into the certificate request when generating the key, so that the server can perform subsequent processing.
3. Why is it not recommended to use now?
With the development of web technology, more modern and flexible security mechanisms have gradually replaced the functions of <keygen></keygen>
:
- The Web Crypto API provides more powerful and controllable encryption capabilities, and developers can operate key generation, signature and encryption directly in JavaScript.
- Browser manufacturers are gradually abandoning support for
<keygen></keygen>
, Chrome has removed the tag in earlier versions, and Firefox is also reducing support for related features. - User experience issues: Many users are not familiar with key management and certificate operations, which can easily cause confusion.
If you are building a new project, it is recommended to use JavaScript encryption schemes or to generate tokens on the server, such as JWT or OAuth processes.
4. What if the old system is still being maintained?
If you take over an old project and use <keygen></keygen>
in it, you don't have to worry too much. It will still work properly for a while as long as the browser has not fully cleared the support.
However, it is recommended that you:
- Record the dependencies of existing functions to avoid compatibility issues caused by blind upgrades.
- Consider gradually moving to modern encryption solutions, such as replacing the original logic through the Web Crypto API.
- Mark the use of
<keygen></keygen>
in the document and indicate its deprecated status to facilitate identification by subsequent maintenance personnel.
Basically that's it. Although <keygen></keygen>
is no longer commonly used, as part of history, understanding its role and limitations is also helpful for understanding the evolution of front-end security mechanisms.
The above is the detailed content of HTML `keygen` Element (Deprecated but good to know). For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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