---
name: "openssl-dsaparam"
section: "1ssl"
platform: "linux"
package: "openssl"
version: "3.6.5-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/openssl-dsaparam"
---

# openssl-dsaparam(1ssl)

DSA parameter manipulation and generation

## NAME

openssl-dsaparam - DSA parameter manipulation and generation

## SYNOPSIS

**openssl dsaparam** \[**-help**\] \[**-inform** **DER**\|**PEM**\] \[**-outform** **DER**\|**PEM**\] \[**-in** *filename*\] \[**-out** *filename*\] \[**-noout**\] \[**-text**\] \[**-genkey**\] \[**-verbose**\] \[**-quiet**\] \[**-rand** *files*\] \[**-writerand** *file*\] \[**-engine** *id*\] \[**-provider** *name*\] \[**-provider-path** *path*\] \[**-provparam** *\[name:\]key=value*\] \[**-propquery** *propq*\] \[*numbits*\] \[*numqbits*\]

## DESCRIPTION

This command is used to manipulate or generate DSA parameter files.

DSA parameter generation can be a slow process and as a result the same set of DSA parameters is often used to generate several distinct keys.

## OPTIONS

- **-help**

  Print out a usage message.

- **-inform** **DER**\|**PEM**

  The DSA parameters input format; unspecified by default. See **openssl-format-options**(1) for details.

- **-outform** **DER**\|**PEM**

  The DSA parameters output format; the default is **PEM**. See **openssl-format-options**(1) for details.

  Parameters are a sequence of **ASN.1 INTEGER**s: **p**, **q**, and **g**. This is compatible with RFC 3370 **DSS-Parms** structure.

- **-in** *filename*

  This specifies the input file to read parameters from or standard input if this option is not specified. If the *numbits* parameter is included then this option will be ignored.

- **-out** *filename*

  This specifies the output file to write parameters to. Standard output is used if this option is not present. The output filename can be the same as the input filename, which leads to replacing the file contents. Note that file I/O is not atomic. The output file is truncated and then written.

- **-noout**

  This option inhibits the output of the encoded version of the parameters.

- **-text**

  This option prints out the DSA parameters in human readable form.

- **-genkey**

  This option will generate a DSA either using the specified or generated parameters.

- **-verbose**

  Print extra details about the operations being performed.

- **-quiet**

  Print fewer details about the operations being performed, which may be handy during batch scripts and pipelines.

- **-rand** *files*, **-writerand** *file*

  See "Random State Options" in [**openssl**(1)](/openssl/1.md) for details.

- **-engine** *id*

  See "Engine Options" in [**openssl**(1)](/openssl/1.md). This option is deprecated.

- *numbits*

  This optional argument specifies that a parameter set should be generated of  size *numbits*. If this argument is included then the input file (if any) is ignored.

- *numqbits*

  This optional argument specifies that a parameter set should be generated with  a subprime parameter q of size *numqbits*. It must be the last argument. If this argument is included then the input file (if any) is ignored.

- **-provider** *name*

  - **-provider-path** *path*

  - **-provparam** *\[name:\]key=value*

  - **-propquery** *propq*

  See "Provider Options" in [**openssl**(1)](/openssl/1.md), **provider**(7), and **property**(7).

## SEE ALSO

[**openssl**(1)](/openssl/1.md), **openssl-pkeyparam**(1), **openssl-gendsa**(1), **openssl-dsa**(1), **openssl-genrsa**(1), **openssl-rsa**(1)

## HISTORY

The **-engine** option was deprecated in OpenSSL 3.0.

The **-C** option was removed in OpenSSL 3.0.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2000-2025 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\>.