bitrat is a command-line checksum utility aimed at detecting unexpected changes across nested file hierarchies. Its main use case is data-integrity checking: calculate checksums for a collection of files, retain the results, and use later runs to identify content that may have changed through corruption, bit rot, or another unintended modification.
Rather than binding the user to a single digest, bitrat supports a broad selection of hashing algorithms. These include BLAKE3, BLAKE2, SHA-3 and SHA-2 families, with the available set exposed through the program’s algorithm-listing command. This makes the tool suitable for workflows where compatibility, performance, or a particular cryptographic primitive determines the required hash.
The program is designed to make effective use of modern multi-core processors. It uses parallel processing pipelines to calculate checksums efficiently across file collections. HMAC support is also available when a keyed hash is preferable to a plain checksum.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Calculates checksums across nested file hierarchies.
- Helps detect bit rot and other unexpected file changes.
- Supports BLAKE3 and BLAKE2 hashing algorithms.
- Supports SHA-3 and SHA-2 algorithm families.
- Lists available algorithms from the command line.
- Provides HMAC support for keyed checksum generation.
- Uses parallel processing pipelines to exploit multi-core systems.
- Cross-platform support – runs on Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, and Windows.
Website: github.com/isometry/bitrat
Support:
Developer: Robin Breathe
License: MIT License
bitrat is written in Go. Learn Go with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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| hashdeep | Generate and verify file hashes |
| hashit | Generate file hashes quickly |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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