Quick reference for sha512sum, a tool to compute and verify SHA-512 checksums. SHA-512 is a stronger variant in the SHA-2 family, useful when you want a very conservative hash.

Basic usage

• sha512sum file.img – print SHA-512 hash and filename.
• sha512sum file1 file2 – hash multiple files.
• echo -n "test" | sha512sum – hash data from stdin.

Common options

• -b – read files in binary mode (default on Linux).
• -t – read files in text mode (mainly for non-Unix systems).
• -c – check SHA-512 sums from a file.

Creating and verifying checksum files

• sha512sum file.img > file.img.sha512 – save checksum.
• sha512sum file1 file2 > checksums.sha512 – create checksum list.
• sha512sum -c file.img.sha512 – verify a single file.
• sha512sum -c checksums.sha512 – verify multiple files.

Tips

• Use SHA-512 when you want additional margin over SHA-256 (or when an ecosystem expects it).
• Checksums are only as trustworthy as the channel you got them from—publish them securely.
• For most cases, SHA-256 is enough; SHA-512 is the “belt and suspenders” option.