Taking a hint from the similarly-named Java Cryptography Architecture,
QCA aims to provide a straightforward and cross-platform crypto API, using Qt datatypes
and conventions. QCA separates the API from the implementation, using plugins known as
Providers. The advantage of this model is to allow applications to avoid linking to or
explicitly depending on any particular cryptographic library. This allows one to easily
change or upgrade crypto implementations without even needing to recompile the
application! QCA should work everywhere Qt does, including Windows/Unix/MacOSX.