What command is commonly used in Linux for integrity checks?

The command that is most commonly used for integrity checks in Linux is sha256sum. This command calculates and verifies the SHA-256 hash of files, which is a cryptographic representation of the file's contents. Utilizing a hashing algorithm like SHA-256 allows users to ensure that files have not been altered or corrupted, as even a small change in the file will produce a completely different hash value.

While md5sum is another command that performs similar functions using the MD5 hashing algorithm, it is generally considered less secure due to vulnerabilities found in the MD5 algorithm. As a result, sha256sum is favored for integrity checks where security is a concern.

Rsync is primarily a file synchronization tool, designed to efficiently copy and synchronize files between locations, while tar is used for archiving files and does not directly check integrity but can be used alongside checksum commands.

Thus, sha256sum stands out as the most appropriate choice for performing integrity checks in a secure manner.