OPENSSL-GENDSA(1ossl)

📦
version 15.1 · 2 versions
, in freebsd 15.1

💅 NAME (aka what is this even)

openssl-gendsa — bestie, this is the one that generates a DSA private key from a set of parameters. ✨

This page lives in the OpenSSL manual, section 1ossl, so if you see OPENSSL-GENDSA(1ossl) floating around, that's just the glow-up name for exactly what you're reading rn. 🫶

🌸 SYNOPSIS (the vibe in code form)

openssl gendsa [-help] [-out filename] [-passout arg] [-aes128]
[-aes192] [-aes256] [-aria128] [-aria192] [-aria256] [-camellia128]
[-camellia192] [-camellia256] [-des] [-des3] [-idea] [-verbose] [-quiet]
[-rand files] [-writerand file] [-engine id] [-provider name]
[-provider-path path] [-provparam [name:]key=value] [-propquery propq]
[paramfile]

🦋 DESCRIPTION (the tea ☕)

Okay so here's the whole plot: this command generates a DSA private key from a DSA parameter file. And where does that parameter file come from, you ask? Typically it's generated by the openssl-dsaparam(1) command. iykyk 💫

✨ OPTIONS ✨ (the main characters)

  • -help — prints out a usage message. A little "here's how this works" moment, we love her. 🎀
  • -out filename — writes the key out to the file you specify. If you don't pass this argument at all, then standard output is used. Simple as that. 💖
  • -passout arg — the passphrase used for the output file. More deets over at openssl-passphrase-options(1). 🔐
  • -aes128, -aes192, -aes256, -aria128, -aria192, -aria256, -camellia128, -camellia192, -camellia256, -des, -des3, -idea — these options encrypt the private key with the specified cipher before outputting it. A pass phrase is prompted for. If none of these options is specified, no encryption is used — so like, choose your fighter. 💅
⚠️ Note that all options must be given before the paramfile argument. That's the rule, no cap.
  • -verbose — prints extra details about the operations being performed. For the girlies who need the commentary track. 👑
  • -quiet — prints fewer details about the operations being performed, which may be handy during batch scripts and pipelines. Lowkey the move when you don't want the yapping. 🤫
  • -rand files, -writerand file — see "Random State Options" in openssl(1) for details. 🎲
  • -engine id — see "Engine Options" in openssl(1). This option is deprecated. (RIP, she's a legacy icon, but the manual literally says deprecated so don't come for me.) 💀
  • paramfile — the DSA parameter file to use. The parameters in this file determine the size of the private key. DSA parameters can be generated and examined using the openssl-dsaparam(1) command. This is the moment where the key picks its size, main character energy fr fr. 🌈
  • -provider name, -provider-path path, -provparam [name:]key=value, -propquery propq — see "Provider Options" in openssl(1), provider(7), and property(7). All the provider lore lives over there. 🧚

💜 NOTES (fun fact time)

DSA key generation is little more than random number generation, so it is much quicker than RSA key generation for example. So if you've ever sat there waiting on an RSA key like 😭 — this one is a snack. ⭐

🔥 SEE ALSO (the friend group)

openssl(1), openssl-genpkey(1), openssl-dsaparam(1), openssl-dsa(1), openssl-genrsa(1), openssl-rsa(1)

🌸 HISTORY (the lore)

The -engine option was deprecated in OpenSSL 3.0. She had her era and we respect it. 🙈

Copyright 2000-2023 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.

Licensed under the Apache License 2.0 (the "License"). You may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You can obtain a copy in the file LICENSE in the source distribution or at <https://www.openssl.org/source/license.html>.

Okay bestie that's the whole page — mwah 💋 This was OPENSSL-GENDSA(1ossl) from OpenSSL 3.5.6, dated 2026-04-07. Go forth and generate those keys, you absolute icon 🦋💖👑

📦 where this page comes from