| -b--binary | read in binary mode |
| -c--check | read checksums from the FILEs and check them |
| --tag | create a BSD-style checksum |
| -t--text | read in text mode (default) |
| -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 |
| --help | display this help and exit |
| --version | output version information and exit |
NAME
sha256sum - compute and check SHA256 message digest
SYNOPSIS
sha256sum [OPTION]... [FILE]...
DESCRIPTION
Print or check SHA256 (256-bit) checksums.
With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.
- -b, --binary
read in binary mode
- -c, --check
read checksums from the FILEs and check them
- --tag
create a BSD-style checksum
- -t, --text
read in text mode (default)
- -z, --zero
end each output line with NUL, not newline, and disable file name escaping
The following five options are useful only when verifying checksums:
- --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
- --help
display this help and exit
- --version
output version information and exit
The sums are computed as described in FIPS-180-2. When checking, the input should be a former output of this program. The default mode is to print a line with: checksum, a space, a character indicating input mode ('*' for binary, ' ' for text or where binary is insignificant), and name for each FILE.
There is no difference between binary mode and text mode on GNU systems.
AUTHOR
Written by Ulrich Drepper, Scott Miller, and David Madore.
REPORTING BUGS
GNU coreutils online help: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/> Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>
SEE ALSO
cksum(1)
Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/sha256sum> or available locally via: info '(coreutils) sha2 utilities'
Packaged by Debian (9.7-3) Copyright © 2025 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.