NAME
xsum - Compute and check file checksums/digests (using various algorithms)
VERSION
This document describes version 0.011 of xsum (from Perl distribution App-xsum), released on 2025-08-25.
SYNOPSIS
xsum [--algorithm=str|-a=str] [--check|-c] [--digest-args=s|--digest-args-json=json|-A=s] [(--file=filename)+|--files-json=json] [--files-from=filename|-T=filename] [--page-result[=program]|--view-result[=program]] [--tag] [--checksums-json=json|(-C=str)+] -- [file] ...
See examples in the "EXAMPLES" section.
DESCRIPTION
xsum is a handy small utility that can be used as an alternative/replacement for the individual per-algorithm Unix utilities like md5sum, sha1sum, sha224sum, and so on. It's basically the same as said Unix utilities but you can use a single command instead.
The backend of xsum is a Perl module File::Digest which in turn delegates to the individual per-algorithm backend like Digest::MD5, Digest::SHA, and so on. Most of the backend modules are written in C/XS so you don't suffer significant performance decrease.
OPTIONS
* marks required options.
Main options
- --algorithm=s, -a
-
Valid values:
["crc32","md5","sha1","sha224","sha256","sha384","sha512","sha512224","sha512256","Digest"]In addition to
md5,sha1or the other algorithms, you can also specifyDigestto use Perl's Digest module. This gives you access to tens of other digest modules, for example Digest::BLAKE2 (see examples).When
--digest-args(-A) is not specified, algorithm defaults tomd5. But if--digest-args(-A) is specified, algorithm defaults toDigest, for convenience. - --check, -c
-
Read checksum from files and check them.
- --checksums-json=s, -C
-
Supply checksum(s) (JSON-encoded).
- --digest-args-json=s, -A
-
See
--digest-args. - --digest-args=s
-
If you use
Digestas the algorithm, you can pass arguments for the Digest module here. - --file=s@
-
(No description)
Can also be specified as the 1st command-line argument and onwards.
Can be specified multiple times.
- --files-from=s, -T
-
(No description)
- --files-json=s
-
See
--file.Can also be specified as the 1st command-line argument and onwards.
- --tag
-
Create a BSD-style checksum.
Output options
- --page-result
-
Filter output through a pager.
This option will pipe the output to a specified pager program. If pager program is not specified, a suitable default e.g.
lessis chosen. - --view-result
-
View output using a viewer.
This option will first save the output to a temporary file, then open a viewer program to view the temporary file. If a viewer program is not chosen, a suitable default, e.g. the browser, is chosen.
Other options
COMPLETION
This script has shell tab completion capability with support for several shells.
bash
To activate bash completion for this script, put:
complete -C xsum xsumin your bash startup (e.g. ~/.bashrc). Your next shell session will then recognize tab completion for the command. Or, you can also directly execute the line above in your shell to activate immediately.
It is recommended, however, that you install modules using cpanm-shcompgen which can activate shell completion for scripts immediately.
tcsh
To activate tcsh completion for this script, put:
complete xsum 'p/*/`xsum`/'in your tcsh startup (e.g. ~/.tcshrc). Your next shell session will then recognize tab completion for the command. Or, you can also directly execute the line above in your shell to activate immediately.
It is also recommended to install shcompgen (see above).
other shells
For fish and zsh, install shcompgen as described above.
EXAMPLES
Compute MD5 digests for some files
% xsum -a md5 *.datCompute MD5 digests for some files (same as previous example, -a defaults to "md5")
% xsum *.datCompute MD5 digests for some files (also same as previous example)
% xsum -a Digest -A MD5 *.datCompute MD5 digests for some files (also same as previous example, -a defaults to "Digest" when -A is specified)
% xsum -A MD5 *.datCompute BLAKE2b digests for some files (requirest Digest::BLAKE2 Perl module)
% xsum -A BLAKE2,blake2b *.datCompute SHA1 digest for data in stdin
% somecmd | xsum -a sha1 -Check MD5 digests of files listed in MD5SUMS
% xsum --check MD5SUMSCheck MD5 digest of one file
% xsum download.exe -C 9f4b2277f50a412e56de6e0306f4afb8Check MD5 digest of two files
% xsum download1.exe -C 9f4b2277f50a412e56de6e0306f4afb8 download2.zip -C 62b3bf86abdfdd87e9f6a3ea7b51aa7bHOMEPAGE
Please visit the project's homepage at https://metacpan.org/release/App-xsum.
SOURCE
Source repository is at https://github.com/perlancar/perl-App-xsum.
SEE ALSO
shasum. Script which comes with the perl distribution.
md5sum. Unix utility.
sha1sum. Unix utility.
sha224sum. Unix utility.
sha256sum. Unix utility.
sha384sum. Unix utility.
sha512sum. Unix utility.
AUTHOR
perlancar <perlancar@cpan.org>
CONTRIBUTING
To contribute, you can send patches by email/via RT, or send pull requests on GitHub.
Most of the time, you don't need to build the distribution yourself. You can simply modify the code, then test via:
% prove -lIf you want to build the distribution (e.g. to try to install it locally on your system), you can install Dist::Zilla, Dist::Zilla::PluginBundle::Author::PERLANCAR, Pod::Weaver::PluginBundle::Author::PERLANCAR, and sometimes one or two other Dist::Zilla- and/or Pod::Weaver plugins. Any additional steps required beyond that are considered a bug and can be reported to me.
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
This software is copyright (c) 2025 by perlancar <perlancar@cpan.org>.
This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.
BUGS
Please report any bugs or feature requests on the bugtracker website https://rt.cpan.org/Public/Dist/Display.html?Name=App-xsum
When submitting a bug or request, please include a test-file or a patch to an existing test-file that illustrates the bug or desired feature.