ppk

PPK is a three-letter acronym that can refer to several different things, depending on the context. Two of the most common meanings are a German semi-automatic pistol and a computer file format used for cryptographic keys.

Walther PPK: The Walther PPK is a compact German semi-automatic pistol produced by Carl Walther GmbH. The name stands for Polizeipistole Kriminalmodell, meaning police pistol, Kriminalmodell (criminal police model). Introduced in the 1930s as a smaller variant of the PP series, the PPK is chambered for small cartridges such as .32 ACP (7.65×17 mm) and, in later versions, .380 ACP. It gained widespread use among police and other security forces in the mid-20th century and remains popular among collectors and enthusiasts. The pistol is known for its slim profile, simple controls, and historical associations, though production and use vary by country and model.

PuTTY Private Key: PPK is also the file extension used by the PuTTY private key file format. This format stores private keys for SSH authentication and is generated by PuTTYgen, the key-generation utility that accompanies PuTTY. Files with the .ppk extension are used with PuTTY, PSCP, PSFTP, and WinSCP. The format is not directly compatible with OpenSSH and typically requires conversion or the use of PuTTY-compatible tools.

Other uses: The acronym PPK can appear in other, less common contexts as an abbreviation for different terms or organizations. When encountered, the intended meaning is usually clarified by the surrounding text.