Cache and Snapshots

hashio can maintain a local SQLite cache file, by default at:

~/.cache/hashio/hash.sql

The cache stores previously computed file hashes, metadata, and snapshot history so repeated runs can be faster and file states can be compared over time.

Enabling the Cache

Caching is disabled by default for hashing runs. Enable it with:

hashio --cache <PATH>

Or through the environment:

export HASHIO_USE_CACHE=1

Use --no-cache to force caching off for a specific run.

Updating the Cache Schema

Apply schema updates and create any missing indexes with:

hashio --update-cache

Snapshots

Record a point-in-time snapshot during a scan:

hashio --snapshot SNAPSHOT_NAME

Snapshots make it possible to:

• Track changes over time
• Compare file states across scan points
• Build file history for audit and debugging
• Generate change reports

Each snapshot stores links to file metadata entries in the cache rather than duplicating file contents.

Diffing Snapshots

Compare two snapshots with:

hashio --diff SNAP1 SNAP2 [--start PATH]

The diff summary uses:

+ file was added
- file was removed
~ file was modified