# perldoc > Digest::base

---
type: CommandReference
command: 'Digest::base'
mode: perldoc
section: ''
source: perldoc
---

## Quick Reference

- `use base 'Digest::base'` — inherit from the base class to get default implementations of alternative `add` and `digest` methods
- Implement these methods in a subclass: `new`, `clone`, `add`, `digest` (see Digest for expected behaviour)
- `addfile`, `add_bits` — provided by Digest::base, built from `add`
- `hexdigest`, `b64digest` — provided by Digest::base, built from `digest`

## Name

`Digest::base` — Digest base class

## Synopsis

perl
package Digest::Foo;
use base 'Digest::base';
## Description

`Digest::base` provides default implementations of `addfile`, `add_bits`, `hexdigest`, and `b64digest` in terms of `add` and `digest`. A minimal subclass must implement:

- `new`
- `clone`
- `add`
- `digest`

The arguments and expected behaviour of these methods are described in `Digest`.

## Methods

Provided by `Digest::base`:

- `addfile` — implemented in terms of `add`
- `add_bits` — implemented in terms of `add`
- `hexdigest` — implemented in terms of `digest`
- `b64digest` — implemented in terms of `digest`

## See Also

`Digest`