openssl-format-options
(1ssl)OpenSSL command input and output format options
Options
3-inform-outformformatThe format of the input or output streams.
-keyformformatFormat of a private key input source.
-CRLformformatFormat of a CRL input source.
DESCRIPTION
Several OpenSSL commands can take input or generate output in a variety of formats.
Since OpenSSL 3.0 keys, single certificates, and CRLs can be read from files in any of the DER, PEM or P12 formats. Specifying their input format is no more needed and the openssl commands will automatically try all the possible formats. However if the DER or PEM input format is specified it will be enforced.
In order to access a key via an engine the input format ENGINE may be used; alternatively the key identifier in the <uri> argument of the respective key option may be preceded by "org.openssl.engine:". See "Engine Options" in openssl(1) for an example usage of the latter.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright 2000-2026 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.