OPENSC-TOOL(1)

📦
version 0.27.1 · 17 versions
, in fedora 43, fedora 44

✨ NAME ✨

okay so bestie, meet opensc-tool — it's the generic smart card utility from the OpenSC Tools manual (yes, that's section 1, the command-line girlies section 💅). it's your little multitool for poking at smart cards from the terminal.

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

opensc-tool [OPTIONS]

that's it. that's the whole vibe. you just run it with options and it does stuff. iconic.

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so opensc-tool is the utility you call from the command line when you want to do miscellaneous smart card operations. we're talking getting the card ATR, sending arbitrary APDU commands to a card — the little everyday tasks, y'know? nothing dramatic, just your basic card-whispering. no cap, it's genuinely useful 🫶

💖 OPTIONS 💖

  • --version — prints the OpenSC package release version. like, which version of OpenSC are we even on rn? this tells you ✨
  • --atr, -a — prints the Answer To Reset (ATR) of the card. the output comes out in hex byte format, bestie 🔥
  • *--card-driver *driver, -c driver — use the given card driver. the default is to auto-detect the correct card driver (she's independent, she figures it out herself). and if you pass the literal value ? it lists all available card drivers for you 👑
  • --list-algorithms — lists algorithms supported by card. yes, this one's got a trailing comma in the original, we don't question it, we respect it 💀
  • --info, -i — prints information about OpenSC, such as version and enabled components. the little self-intro moment 🎀
  • --list-drivers, -D — lists all installed card drivers. all of them. the whole roster 🌈
  • --list-files, -f — recursively lists all files stored on card. recursive!! she goes deep 🌸
  • --list-readers, -l — lists all configured readers. who's plugged in? let's find out 💜
  • --name, -n — prints the name of the inserted card (driver). name check!! ⭐
  • *--get-conf-entry *conf, -G conf — gets a configuration key. the format is: section:name:key
  • *--set-conf-entry *conf, -S conf — sets a configuration key. the format is: section:name:key:value
  • *--reader *arg, -r arg — the number of the reader to use. by default, the first reader with a present card is used. and if arg is an ATR, then the reader with a matching card gets chosen instead 🫶
  • *--reset [type*] — resets the card in reader. the default reset type is cold, but a warm reset is also possible. pick your temperature bestie 🧊🔥
  • *--send-apdu *apdu, -s apdu — sends an arbitrary APDU to the card in the format AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF.... use this option multiple times if you wanna send more than one APDU, she's flexible like that.
⚠️ heads up bestie: the built-in card drivers may send additional APDUs for detection and initialization. to avoid this behavior, you may additionally specify --card-driver default. don't get caught off guard by extra APDUs showing up uninvited 🙈
  • --serial — prints the card serial number (normally the ICCSN). output is in hex byte format 💅
  • --verbose, -v — causes opensc-tool to be more verbose. specify this flag several times to enable debug output in the opensc library. the more times you say it, the louder she gets 📢
  • --wait, -w — waits for a card to be inserted. patient queen energy, she'll just stand there until a card shows up ⏳

🎀 SEE ALSO 🎀

👑 AUTHORS 👑

opensc-tool was written by Juha Yrjölä <juha.yrjola@iki.fi>. thank you Juha, we love you, main character energy fr fr 🫶

and that's the whole page bestie!! this was the opensc tools manual, version dated 04/19/2026, filed under OPENSC-TOOL(1) 🌟 go forth and talk to your smart cards, you've got this 💅✨

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