diff --git a/src/passwordlib/exceptions.py b/src/passwordlib/exceptions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..855b8ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/passwordlib/exceptions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# -*- coding=utf-8 -*-
+r"""
+
+"""
+
+
+__all__ = ['PasswordlibError', 'PWLibSyntaxError', 'PWLibBadPrefixError']
+
+
+class PasswordlibError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
+class PWLibSyntaxError(PasswordlibError):
+    pass
+
+
+class PWLibBadPrefixError(PasswordlibError):
+    pass
diff --git a/src/passwordlib/unix/__init__.py b/src/passwordlib/unix/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f1cda6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/passwordlib/unix/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# -*- coding=utf-8 -*-
+r"""
+Compatibility for the widely used unix formats
+"""
+from . import encrypt
+from . import loading
diff --git a/src/passwordlib/unix/encrypt.py b/src/passwordlib/unix/encrypt.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4fb1476
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/passwordlib/unix/encrypt.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# -*- coding=utf-8 -*-
+r"""
+
+"""
+import typing as t
+from ..core import functions as fn
+
+
+__all__ = ['encrypt_bcrypt', 'encrypt_sha1']
+
+
+BCRYPT_PREFIX: t.TypeAlias = t.Union[t.Literal[b"2a"], t.Literal[b"2b"]]
+
+
+def encrypt_bcrypt(password: t.AnyStr, salt: str = None, rounds: int = 12, prefix: BCRYPT_PREFIX = "2b") -> str:
+    import bcrypt
+    password = fn.get_password_bytes(password)
+    salt = salt or bcrypt.gensalt(rounds=rounds, prefix=prefix)
+    return bcrypt.hashpw(password, salt=salt).decode()
+
+
+def encrypt_sha1(password: t.AnyStr) -> str:
+    from hashlib import sha1
+    from base64 import b64encode
+    password = fn.get_password_bytes(password)
+    hashed = sha1(password).digest()
+    return "{SHA1}" + b64encode(hashed).decode()
diff --git a/src/passwordlib/unix/loading.py b/src/passwordlib/unix/loading.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9a742d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/passwordlib/unix/loading.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+# -*- coding=utf-8 -*-
+r"""
+
+"""
+from ..core import LoadedTuple
+from ..exceptions import *
+
+
+__all__ = ['load_bcrypt', 'load_sha1']
+
+
+def load_bcrypt(dump: str) -> LoadedTuple:
+    parts = dump.split("$")
+    if len(parts) != 4: raise PWLibSyntaxError("bad format")
+
+    void, prefix, rounds, salt_and_hash = parts
+    if void: raise PWLibSyntaxError("dump does not start with '$'")
+    if prefix not in {"2", "2a", "2b", "2x", "2y"}: raise PWLibBadPrefixError("unknown prefix")
+    if not rounds.isdigit(): raise PWLibSyntaxError("rounds are not an integer")
+
+    iterations = int(rounds)
+    salt = salt_and_hash[:22].encode()  # note: salt is in a base-64 encoded format
+    hashed = salt_and_hash[22:].encode()
+    return LoadedTuple(algorithm="bcrypt", iterations=iterations, salt=salt, hashed=hashed)
+
+
+def load_sha256(dump: str) -> LoadedTuple:
+    parts = dump.split("$")
+    n_parts = len(parts)
+    if n_parts != 4 and n_parts != 5: raise PWLibSyntaxError("bad format")
+
+    if n_parts == 4:
+        void, prefix, salt, checksum = parts
+        rounds = "rounds=5000"
+    else:
+        void, prefix, rounds, salt, checksum = parts
+    if void: raise PWLibSyntaxError("dump does not start with '$'")
+    if prefix != "5": raise PWLibSyntaxError("unknown prefix")
+    if not rounds.startswith("rounds=") or not rounds[7:].isdigit(): raise PWLibSyntaxError("bad rounds")
+
+    iterations = int(rounds[7:])
+    salt = salt.encode()
+    hashed = checksum.encode()
+
+    return LoadedTuple(algorithm="sha256", iterations=iterations, salt=salt, hashed=hashed)
+
+
+def load_sha1(dump: str) -> LoadedTuple:
+    from base64 import b64decode
+    if not dump.startswith("{SHA}"): raise PWLibBadPrefixError("Invalid dump format")
+    b64encoded = dump[6:]
+    hashed = b64decode(b64encoded)
+    return LoadedTuple(algorithm="sha1", iterations=-1, salt=b'', hashed=hashed)
diff --git a/src/passwordlib/unix/utils.py b/src/passwordlib/unix/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8c4af3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/passwordlib/unix/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# -*- coding=utf-8 -*-
+r"""
+
+"""
+import os
+import typing as t
+
+
+__all__ = ['gen_salt_str']
+
+
+def gen_salt_str(length: int, *, characters: t.Sequence[str]) -> str:
+    r"""
+    :param length: length of the resulting salt
+    :param characters: characters to use in the salt
+    :return: generated salt
+    """
+    return ''.join(characters[int(r / 256 * len(characters))] for r in os.urandom(length))