AiLock: Hide source from AI assistants while tests still run AiLock released a new encryption tool that keeps source code encrypted on disk while allowing developers to run Python programs normally in memory. The tool encrypts files in place so AI coding assistants and file-reading tools see only ciphertext, while `ailock run` decrypts code inside the runtime process without writing plaintext back to the working tree. This memory-only decryption approach aims to prevent AI assistants from accessing proprietary code during development. Keep code encrypted on disk, decrypt it only in memory, and still run it normally. AiLock encrypts files in place so filesystem-level AI access read file , grep , cat , codebase indexing sees only binary ciphertext. At the same time, developers can run encrypted Python code, import encrypted modules, read encrypted data files, and edit locked files through controlled plaintext views. The central idea is memory-only decryption : plaintext is materialized inside the AiLock runtime process, not written back to the working tree. Disk: ciphertext for AI and ordinary file readers. Runtime: plaintext only inside the controlled execution process. Most encryption tools protect files at rest, but make the code unusable until it is decrypted back onto disk. AiLock is built for a different workflow: AI-opacity : coding assistants that read the working tree see ciphertext. Memory-only execution : ailock run decrypts encrypted Python files inside the process and executes them without restoring plaintext on disk. Transparent imports : encrypted modules can import each other. Transparent file I/O : open , Path.read text , and Path.read bytes can return plaintext inside the runtime. GUI plaintext viewport : ailock open lets the developer inspect and edit files without leaving plaintext in the working tree. Recovery path : encrypted backups and optional recovery keys help recover damaged or forgotten-password files. - Python 3.11 or newer pip - Runtime packages installed automatically from pyproject.toml : argon2-cffi , cryptography , and pyzipper tkinter for ailock open ; it is bundled with many Python installations, but some Linux distributions package it separately as python3-tk Install from GitHub: git clone https://github.com/lo2589/AILOCK.git cd AILOCK pip install . For editable development installs: git clone https://github.com/lo2589/AILOCK.git cd AILOCK pip install -e . Check the command: ailock --help If the command is not on your PATH , use the module entry point: python -m aloc --help Encrypt a file in place. ailock lock secret.py AI/file tools see ciphertext. cat secret.py grep "password" . You can still use the code. ailock show secret.py ailock run secret.py ailock open . Restore plaintext on disk when needed. ailock unlock secret.py The key idea: ailock lock app.py app.py becomes ciphertext on disk ailock run app.py app.py is decrypted in memory and executed ailock run is the core feature. It decrypts the entry file in memory, executes the plaintext inside the Python process, and leaves the working-tree file as ciphertext. No plaintext copy is written next to the encrypted file. ailock run main.py ailock run -m mypackage ailock run app.py -- --port 8080 While the program is running, AiLock installs hooks so application code can behave as if the files were plain: php encrypted .py on disk - decrypt in memory - exec/import inside Python encrypted data file - decrypt in memory - open /Path.read text Inside your program, no AiLock-specific code is required: python import json from secret module import algorithm with open "config.json" as f: config = json.load f print algorithm config If secret module.py or config.json is locked, AiLock decrypts it for the runtime while the filesystem still contains ciphertext. Encrypt a file or directory in place. ailock lock secret.py ailock lock src/ ailock lock secret.py --recovery Notes: - Directories are processed recursively. - Already locked files are skipped. - Plaintext backups are stored as encrypted ZIP backups under .ailock/backups/ by default. --recovery prints a recovery key. Save it separately; it is not shown again. Run encrypted Python code without writing plaintext back to disk. ailock run main.py ailock run -m mypackage ailock run app.py -- --port 8080 Runtime interception layers: - import hook for encrypted Python modules - patched builtins.open - patched pathlib.Path.read text and pathlib.Path.read bytes Open a GUI plaintext viewport/editor for a directory. ailock open . ailock open src/ Locked files are decrypted for display. Saving writes encrypted content back to disk. Print decrypted content to stdout without modifying the file. ailock show secret.py ailock show secret.py | head Decrypt a file or directory back to plaintext on disk. ailock unlock secret.py ailock unlock src/ --backup Recover a locked file using a recovery key generated by --recovery . ailock recover secret.py Start a stdin/stdout JSON-RPC workspace server for controlled plaintext access. ailock freelock . Example requests: {"method": "list files", "params": {}, "id": 1} {"method": "read file", "params": {"path": "main.py"}, "id": 2} {"method": "grep", "params": {"pattern": "TODO"}, "id": 3} {"method": "write file", "params": {"path": "main.py", "content": "..."}, "id": 4} {"method": "flush", "params": {}, "id": 5} ailock status file.py ailock forget ailock forget --all ailock config ailock config backup-dir /path/to/backups ailock init --as aa ailock init --as