# par2cmdline

> Parchive 2 command line utility

**Wikidata**: [Q107928808](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107928808)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/par2cmdline

## Summary
par2cmdline is a free command line utility that implements the Parchive version 2 file verification and recovery system. It operates on Unix-like operating systems and is licensed under GNU General Public License, version 2.0.

## Key Facts
- par2cmdline is a Parchive 2 command line utility used for file verification and recovery through parity files
- It is licensed under GNU General Public License, version 2.0 and classified as free software
- The current stable version is 1.0.0, published on April 30, 2025
- It runs exclusively on Unix-like operating systems
- The programming language used is Q2407 (C/C++)
- Both readable and writable file formats are Parchive, version 2
- Source code is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline
- Available as packages for Debian (utils/par2), openSUSE (par), macOS (MacPorts: libpar2), and SlackBuilds (misc/par2cmdline)
- The project website is https://parchive.sourceforge.net/

## FAQs
### Q: What is the purpose of par2cmdline?
A: par2cmdline implements the Parchive version 2 file verification and recovery system, allowing users to create parity files that can be used to verify data integrity and recover corrupted parts of file collections.

### Q: What platforms does par2cmdline run on?
A: par2cmdline runs exclusively on Unix-like operating systems, with packages available for Linux distributions including Debian (stable package) and openSUSE, as well as for macOS via MacPorts and via SlackBuilds for Slackware.

### Q: What is the current version of par2cmdline?
A: The current stable version of par2cmdline is 1.0.0, published on April 30, 2025, following previous versions such as 0.8.1 (2020) and 0.7.4 (2017).

### Q: How can I contribute to par2cmdline development?
A: The source code for par2cmdline is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline, where users can contribute to the project.

## Why It Matters
par2cmdline plays a crucial role in data integrity and recovery, especially for file archives and data transfers. In the era of large file distributions and digital preservation, data corruption can lead to significant losses. par2cmdline provides a solution by creating parity files that allow recovery of damaged data without having to redownload entire collections. This technology is particularly important for newsgroups, FTP servers, and torrent distributions where files are often split into multiple parts. The Parchive system implemented by par2cmdline has become a standard method for verifying and recovering archived data, especially in the file sharing community. As free software under the GPL, it offers users the freedom to use, study, modify, and distribute the tool, contributing to the broader ecosystem of data preservation utilities.

## Notable For
- Implementation of the Parchive version 2 standard for file verification and recovery
- Being one of the original command-line tools for parity-based data recovery
- Long development history with regular updates spanning multiple decades
- Cross-platform availability across various Unix-like operating systems
- Widespread adoption in file sharing communities for verifying archive integrity

## Body
### History and Development
par2cmdline is the command line implementation of the Parchive version 2 file verification and recovery system. The project has been developed with regular version releases, with the current stable version being 1.0.0, published on April 30, 2025. Previous versions include 0.8.1 (2020), 0.8.0 (2017), and multiple 0.7.x versions in 2017. The project has been hosted on GitHub since its inception, with the source repository located at https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline.

### Technical Specifications
- Programming Language: Q2407 (C/C++)
- License: GNU General Public License, version 2.0
- Instance of: Free software, console application
- Readable/Writable File Format: Parchive, version 2
- Operating System: Unix-like operating system

### Distribution and Availability
par2cmdline is available through multiple distribution channels:
- Debian stable package: utils/par2
- openSUSE package: par
- MacPorts port: libpar2
- SlackBuilds package: misc/par2cmdline
- Source code repository: GitHub

The project has been widely adopted across various Unix-like systems due to its reliability and effectiveness in data verification and recovery.

## References

1. [Release 0.6.13. 2015](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v0.6.13)
2. [Release 0.6.14. 2017](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v0.6.14)
3. [Release 0.7.0. 2017](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v0.7.0)
4. [Release 0.7.1. 2017](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v0.7.1)
5. [Release 0.7.2. 2017](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v0.7.2)
6. [Release 0.7.3. 2017](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v0.7.3)
7. [Release 0.7.4. 2017](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v0.7.4)
8. [Release 0.8.0. 2017](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v0.8.0)
9. [Release 0.8.1. 2020](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v0.8.1)
10. [Release 1.0.0. 2025](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v1.0.0)
11. [Release 1.1.0. 2026](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v1.1.0)
12. [Release 1.1.1. 2026](https://github.com/Parchive/par2cmdline/releases/tag/v1.1.1)
13. [Source](https://api.github.com/repos/Parchive/par2cmdline)