CKSUM(1) User Commands CKSUM(1)

cksum - compute and verify file checksums

cksum [OPTION]... [FILE]...

Print or verify checksums. By default use the 32 bit CRC algorithm.

With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

-a, --algorithm=TYPE
select the digest type to use. See DIGEST below
--base64
emit base64-encoded digests, not hexadecimal
-c, --check
read checksums from the FILEs and check them
-l, --length=BITS
digest length in bits; must not exceed the max size and must be a multiple of 8 for blake2b; must be 224, 256, 384, or 512 for sha2 or sha3
--raw
emit a raw binary digest, not hexadecimal
--tag
create a BSD-style checksum (the default)
--untagged
create a reversed style checksum, without digest type
-z, --zero
end each output line with NUL, not newline, and disable file name escaping

--ignore-missing
don't fail or report status for missing files
--quiet
don't print OK for each successfully verified file
--status
don't output anything, status code shows success
--strict
exit non-zero for improperly formatted checksum lines
-w, --warn
warn about improperly formatted checksum lines
--debug
indicate which implementation used
--help
display this help and exit
--version
output version information and exit

(equivalent to sum -s)
(equivalent to sum -r)
(equivalent to cksum)
(only available through cksum)
(equivalent to md5sum)
(equivalent to sha1sum)
(equivalent to sha{224,256,384,512}sum)
(only available through cksum)
(equivalent to b2sum)
(only available through cksum)

When checking, the input should be a former output of this program, or equivalent standalone program.

Written by Padraig Brady and Q. Frank Xia.

Report bugs to: bug-coreutils@gnu.org
GNU coreutils home page: https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/
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Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

Full documentation https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/cksum
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) cksum invocation'

February 2026 GNU coreutils 9.10