---
name: "mash"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "mash"
version: "2.3+dfsg-6+b2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mash"
---

# mash(1)

fast genome and metagenome distance estimation using MinHash

## NAME

mash - fast genome and metagenome distance estimation using MinHash

## SYNOPSIS

**mash** \<command\> \[options\] \[arguments ...\]

## DESCRIPTION

**mash** is the main executable for the **Mash** software. The actual functionality is provided by the subtools ('commands'):

### Commands

**bounds**

Print a table of Mash error bounds.

**dist**

Estimate the distance of query sequences to references.

**info**

Display information about sketch files.

**paste**

Create a single sketch file from multiple sketch files.

**screen**

Determine whether query sequences are within a larger pool of sequences.

**sketch**

Create sketches (reduced representations for fast operations).

**triangle**

Estimate a lower-triangular distance matrix.

## SEE ALSO

[mash-dist(1)](/mash-dist/1.md), [mash-info(1)](/mash-info/1.md), [mash-paste(1)](/mash-paste/1.md), [mash-screen(1)](/mash-screen/1.md), [mash-sketch(1)](/mash-sketch/1.md), [mash-triangle(1)](/mash-triangle/1.md)