cksum command in MacOS

The MacOS cksum command is used to generate a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) checksum for files. This checksum can be used for verifying the integrity of files and detecting any changes or corruption. The cksum command in MacOS calculates the CRC-32 checksum by default, but it also supports other algorithms like CRC-8 and CRC-16. It is a handy tool for ensuring the integrity of files, especially when transferring or storing them.

cksum Syntax:

cksum [options] [file]

MacOS cksum Options:

Option	Description
-o	Display only the CRC
-h	Help
-q	Quiet mode

cksum Parameters:

Parameter	Description
file	The file to calculate the checksum

How to use cksum command:

Calculate Checksum for a File

cksum file.txt

Calculates the checksum for the file “file.txt”.

Verify Checksum for a File

cksum -c checksums.txt

Verifies the checksums for the files listed in the “checksums.txt” file.

Calculate Checksum for Multiple Files

cksum file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

Calculates the checksum for multiple files at once.

Output Checksum in CRC Format

cksum -C file.txt

Outputs the checksum in CRC format for the file “file.txt”.

Ignore Line Endings When Calculating Checksum

cksum -I file.txt

Calculates the checksum while ignoring line ending differences for the file “file.txt”.

Display Only the Checksum Value

cksum -o file.txt

Displays only the checksum value for the file “file.txt”.

Calculate Checksum in Portable Format

cksum -p file.txt

Calculates the checksum in portable format for the file “file.txt”.

Display the Checksum in a User-Friendly Format

cksum -s file.txt

Displays the checksum in a user-friendly format for the file “file.txt”.

How do I use cksum in MacOS?

To use the cksum command in MacOS, execute the following command:

cksum file.txt

What is the purpose of the cksum command in MacOS?

The cksum command in MacOS is used to calculate a checksum value for a file using a CRC (cyclic redundancy check) algorithm.

How can I verify the integrity of a file using cksum in MacOS?

You can verify the integrity of a file by comparing its checksum value with a previously generated checksum value using the cksum command.

cksum -c checksums.txt

How can I generate a list of checksums for multiple files in MacOS?

To generate checksum values for multiple files in MacOS, you can create a checksum file containing the checksum values of each file.

cksum file1.txt file2.txt > checksums.txt

Can I use cksum to compare checksum values of files in MacOS?

Yes, you can compare the checksum values of files in MacOS using the cksum command with the -c option.

cksum -c checksums.txt

How do I display only the checksum value without the filename in MacOS?

To display only the checksum value without the filename in MacOS, you can use the -b option with the cksum command.

cksum -b file.txt

How can I output the checksum value in a specific format in MacOS?

You can output the checksum value in a specific format in MacOS by using the -H option with values 0, 1, or 2 for different formats.

cksum -H 1 file.txt

Is it possible to generate checksum values for directories in MacOS using cksum?

No, the cksum command in MacOS does not support generating checksum values for directories directly.

Applications of the cksum command

Verifying data integrity
Checking for corrupted files
Calculating checksums for file comparisons
Assessing file changes or modifications