# man > openssl-dgst(1) > **TLDR:** Generate digest values and perform signature operations. > - Calculate the SHA256 digest for a file, saving the result to a specific file: `openssl dgst -sha256 -binary -out {{output_file}} {{input_file}}` - Sign a file using an RSA key, saving the result to a specific file: `openssl dgst -sign {{private_key_file}} -sha256 -sigopt rsa_padding_mode:pss -out {{output_file}} {{input_file}}` - Verify an RSA signature: `openssl dgst -verify {{public_key_file}} -signature {{signature_file}} -sigopt rsa_padding_mode:pss {{signature_message_file}}` - Sign a file using and ECDSA key: `openssl dgst -sign {{private_key_file}} -sha256 -out {{output_file}} {{input_file}}` - Verify an ECDSA signature: `openssl dgst -verify {{public_key_file}} -signature {{signature_file}} {{signature_message_file}}` *Source: tldr-pages* --- [_OPENSSL-DGST_(1SSL)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/OPENSSL-DGST/1SSL/markdown) OpenSSL [_OPENSSL-DGST_(1SSL)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/OPENSSL-DGST/1SSL/markdown) ## NAME openssl-dgst - perform digest operations ## SYNOPSIS **openssl dgst**|_digest_ [**-_digest_**] [**-list**] [**-help**] [**-c**] [**-d**] [**-debug**] [**-hex**] [**-binary**] [**-xoflen** _length_] [**-r**] [**-out _**filename_] [**-sign _**filename_|_uri_] [**-keyform DER**|**PEM**|**P12**|**ENGINE**] [**-passin _**arg_] [**-verify _**filename_] [**-prverify _**filename_] [**-signature _**filename_] [**-sigopt _**nm_:_v_] [**-hmac _**key_] [**-mac _**alg_] [**-macopt _**nm_:_v_] [**-fips-fingerprint**] [**-engine _**id_] [**-engine_impl _**id_] [**-rand _**files_] [**-writerand _**file_] [**-provider _**name_] [**-provider-path _**path_] [**-propquery _**propq_] [_file_ ...] ## DESCRIPTION This command output the message digest of a supplied file or files in hexadecimal, and also generates and verifies digital signatures using message digests. The generic name, **openssl dgst**, may be used with an option specifying the algorithm to be used. The default digest is **sha256**. A supported _digest_ name may also be used as the sub- command name. To see the list of supported algorithms, use "openssl list -digest-algorithms" ## OPTIONS ### -help Print out a usage message. ### -digest Specifies name of a supported digest to be used. See option **-list **below : ### -list Prints out a list of supported message digests. ### -c -hex option is given as well. ### -d -debug Print out BIO debugging information. ### -hex Digest is to be output as a hex dump. This is the default case for a "normal" digest as opposed to a digital signature. See NOTES below for digital signatures using **-hex**. ### -binary Output the digest or signature in binary form. ### -xoflen _ Set the output length for XOF algorithms, such as **shake128 **and **shake256**. This option is not supported for signing operations. For OpenSSL providers it is recommended to set this value for shake algorithms, since the default values are set to only supply half of the maximum security strength. For backwards compatibility reasons the default xoflen length for **shake128 **is 16 (bytes) which results in a security strength of only 64 bits. To ensure the maximum security strength of 128 bits, the xoflen should be set to at least 32. For backwards compatibility reasons the default xoflen length for **shake256 **is 32 (bytes) which results in a security strength of only 128 bits. To ensure the maximum security strength of 256 bits, the xoflen should be set to at least 64. ### -r [**sha1sum**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/sha1sum/1/markdown). ### -out _ Filename to output to, or standard output by default. ### -sign _ Digitally sign the digest using the given private key. Note this option does not support Ed25519 or Ed448 private keys. Use the [**openssl-pkeyutl**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl-pkeyutl/1/markdown) command instead for this. ### -keyform DER The format of the key to sign with; unspecified by default. See [**openssl-format-options**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl-format-options/1/markdown) for details. ### -sigopt _ Pass options to the signature algorithm during sign or verify operations. Names and values of these options are algorithm-specific. ### -passin _ The private key password source. For more information about the format of _arg_ see [**openssl-passphrase-options**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl-passphrase-options/1/markdown). ### -verify _ Verify the signature using the public key in "filename". The output is either "Verified OK" or "Verification Failure". ### -prverify _ Verify the signature using the private key in "filename". ### -signature _ The actual signature to verify. ### -hmac _ Create a hashed MAC using "key". The [**openssl-mac**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl-mac/1/markdown) command should be preferred to using this command line option. ### -mac _ Create MAC (keyed Message Authentication Code). The most popular MAC algorithm is HMAC (hash-based MAC), but there are other MAC algorithms which are not based on hash, for instance **gost-mac **algorithm, supported by the **gost **engine. MAC keys and other options should be set via **-macopt **parameter. The [**openssl-mac**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl-mac/1/markdown) command should be preferred to using this command line option. ### -macopt _ Passes options to MAC algorithm, specified by **-mac **key. Following options are supported by both by **HMAC **and **gost-mac**: **key**:_string_ Specifies MAC key as alphanumeric string (use if key contain printable characters only). String length must conform to any restrictions of the MAC algorithm for example exactly 32 chars for gost-mac. **hexkey**:_string_ Specifies MAC key in hexadecimal form (two hex digits per byte). Key length must conform to any restrictions of the MAC algorithm for example exactly 32 chars for gost-mac. The [**openssl-mac**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl-mac/1/markdown) command should be preferred to using this command line option. ### -fips-fingerprint Compute HMAC using a specific key for certain OpenSSL-FIPS operations. ### -rand _ -writerand _ See "Random State Options" in [**openssl**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl/1/markdown) for details. ### -engine _ See "Engine Options" in [**openssl**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl/1/markdown). This option is deprecated. The engine is not used for digests unless the **-engine_impl **option is used or it is configured to do so, see "Engine Configuration Module" in [**config**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/config/5/markdown). ### -engine_impl _ When used with the **-engine **option, it specifies to also use engine _id_ for digest operations. ### -provider _ ### -provider-path _ ### -propquery _ See "Provider Options" in [**openssl**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl/1/markdown), [**provider**(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/provider/7/markdown), and [**property**(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/property/7/markdown). _file_ ... File or files to digest. If no files are specified then standard input is used. ## EXAMPLES To create a hex-encoded message digest of a file: openssl dgst -md5 -hex file.txt or openssl md5 file.txt To sign a file using SHA-256 with binary file output: openssl dgst -sha256 -sign privatekey.pem -out signature.sign file.txt or openssl sha256 -sign privatekey.pem -out signature.sign file.txt To verify a signature: openssl dgst -sha256 -verify publickey.pem \ -signature signature.sign \ file.txt ## NOTES The digest mechanisms that are available will depend on the options used when building OpenSSL. The "openssl list -digest-algorithms" command can be used to list them. New or agile applications should use probably use SHA-256. Other digests, particularly SHA-1 and MD5, are still widely used for interoperating with existing formats and protocols. When signing a file, this command will automatically determine the algorithm (RSA, ECC, etc) to use for signing based on the private key's ASN.1 info. When verifying signatures, it only handles the RSA, DSA, or ECDSA signature itself, not the related data to identify the signer and algorithm used in formats such as x.509, CMS, and S/MIME. A source of random numbers is required for certain signing algorithms, in particular ECDSA and DSA. The signing and verify options should only be used if a single file is being signed or verified. Hex signatures cannot be verified using **openssl**. Instead, use "xxd -r" or similar program to transform the hex signature into a binary signature prior to verification. The [**openssl-mac**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl-mac/1/markdown) command is preferred over the **-hmac**, **-mac **and **-macopt **command line options. ## SEE ALSO [**openssl-mac**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl-mac/1/markdown) ## HISTORY The default digest was changed from MD5 to SHA256 in OpenSSL 1.1.0. The FIPS-related options were removed in OpenSSL 1.1.0. The **-engine **and **-engine_impl **options were deprecated in OpenSSL 3.0. ## COPYRIGHT Copyright 2000-2022 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved. Licensed under the Apache License 2.0 (the "License"). You may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You can obtain a copy in the file LICENSE in the source distribution or at <>. 3.0.13 2026-07-29 [_OPENSSL-DGST_(1SSL)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/OPENSSL-DGST/1SSL/markdown)