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.
Related Software
| CLI Data Hashing Tools | |
|---|---|
| xxHash | Non-cryptographic hash algorithm |
| b3sum | Implementation of the BLAKE3 hash function |
| RHash | Calculate and verify magnet links and various message digests |
| md5sum | Compute and check MD5 message digest; part of GNU Coreutils |
| cfv | Test and create checksum files |
| Jacksum | Work with checksums, CRCs, and message digests |
| md5 | Generate / check MD5 message digest |
| digup | Update md5sum or shasum digest files |
| cksum | Compute and verify file checksums |
| Hashrat | Hash-generation utility |
| Directory Checksum | Recursively calculate checksums for directory contents |
| paq | Fast BLAKE3 hashing tool for files and directories |
| ddgst | Hashing and checksum utility |
| QCalcFileHash | Hash calculator |
| hashdir | Checksum directories and files |
| Hash Calculator | Calculates around 50 cryptographic hashes of strings and files |
| dano | Hashdeep/md5tree for media files |
| sha3sum | Keccak, SHA-3, SHAKE, and RawSHAKE checksum utilities |
| luha | Simple file checksum tool |
| filepack | File hashing and verification |
| bitrat | Fast file checksum tool supporting multiple hash algorithms |
| b2sum | Calculate BLAKE2 checksums |
| Additional tools: | |
| hashit | Generate file hashes quickly |
| hashdeep | Generate and verify file hashes |
| cksfv | Create and check sfv listings using CRC32 checksums |
| cksfv.rs | Reimplements the classic cksfv tool |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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