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Secrets lets you hand an API key or password to a coding agent without ever pasting the value into the conversation. You store the secret once, Dax copies a paste-ready instruction for the agent, and the real value is injected only into the single command that needs it — after you approve. Works fully offline.
Secrets vault
Adding a new secret

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Open it

Press ⌃ ⌥ V from any app.

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How it works

1

Add a secret

Press ⌃ ⌥ V to open the palette, then press N to add a new secret. Give it a name — Dax auto-suggests from 80+ common names like OPENAI_API_KEY, AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY, or STRIPE_SECRET_KEY. Press Tab to accept a suggestion. Then enter the value. You can toggle the eye icon to show or hide it while typing.The value is stored in your Mac’s Keychain — encrypted at rest, protected by macOS.
2

Copy the instruction

When you save, Dax copies a paste-ready instruction to your clipboard. It tells the agent how to use the secret through the Dax broker — something like:
The instruction also includes rules telling the agent to never echo, print, or log the value. You can copy the instruction again at any time from the palette.
3

Paste it into the agent

Paste the instruction into your Claude Code (or any coding agent) conversation. The agent now knows the secret exists and how to use it, but it never sees the actual value.
4

Approve each use

When the agent runs a command that needs the secret, Dax pops up an approval panel showing:
  • Which secret(s) are being requested
  • The exact command that will receive them
  • The working directory
Click Allow once (or press Return) and the value is injected into that command’s environment — and only that command. Click Deny (or press Escape) to block it. If you don’t respond within 60 seconds, the request is automatically denied.

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The approval panel

Every time an agent tries to use a secret, you see exactly what’s happening before you allow it:
  • The secret name(s) — which secrets the command is requesting
  • The command — the full command line, so you can verify it’s legitimate
  • The folder — where the command will run
If the command looks like it might print the value to the screen (e.g. echo, printenv, cat), Dax shows an orange warning so you can think twice before approving.

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Managing secrets

The palette shows all your stored secrets in a list:
  • Navigate with ↑ ↓ arrow keys
  • Copy instruction — press Return on any secret to copy its instruction to the clipboard
  • Add — press N to add a new secret
  • Delete — press Delete on a selected secret (confirm with a second press)
Each secret shows a masked preview of its value (first 3 and last 3 characters) and when it was last used.

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Multiple secrets

You can pass more than one secret to a single command:
The approval panel shows all requested secrets together so you can approve them in one go.

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Installing the dax command

The first time you save a secret, Dax installs a dax command-line helper at ~/.dax/bin/dax. This is what the agent calls when it runs dax run --secret .... You can reinstall it from Settings → Tools → Secrets → Install / Reinstall. If ~/.dax/bin isn’t on your PATH, the instruction Dax copies will use the full path instead.

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What it protects

  • Your secret is encrypted at rest in the macOS Keychain
  • Only the name appears in the conversation — never the value
  • The value is injected per-command and only after you approve
  • The approval panel shows the exact command so you can spot anything suspicious
  • Everything runs locally — no network, no cloud, fully offline
Secrets can’t protect against a fully compromised machine or an agent that you approve and that intentionally leaks the value. The approval step is your safeguard — always check the command before clicking Allow.

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Keyboard shortcuts

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Privacy

Entirely local. The broker runs on your Mac. Secrets are stored in the macOS Keychain and never leave the device. No network calls, no telemetry, no cloud sync.