LIFE\_CYCLE-DIGEST(7ossl) OpenSSL LIFE\_CYCLE-DIGEST(7ossl)

# [NAME](#NAME)

life\_cycle-digest - The digest algorithm life-cycle

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

All message digests (MDs) go through a number of stages in their life-cycle:

[start](#start)

This state represents the MD before it has been allocated. It is the starting state for any life-cycle transitions.

[newed](#newed)

This state represents the MD after it has been allocated.

[initialised](#initialised)

This state represents the MD when it is set up and capable of processing input.

[updated](#updated)

This state represents the MD when it is set up and capable of processing additional input or generating output.

[finaled](#finaled)

This state represents the MD when it has generated output. For an XOF digest, this state represents the MD when it has generated a single-shot output.

[squeezed](#squeezed)

For an XOF digest, this state represents the MD when it has generated output. It can be called multiple times to generate more output. The output length is variable for each call.

[freed](#freed)

This state is entered when the MD is freed. It is the terminal state for all life-cycle transitions.

## [State Transition Diagram](#State_Transition_Diagram)

The usual life-cycle of a MD is illustrated:  
+--------------------+  
| start |  
+--------------------+  
| EVP\_MD\_CTX\_reset  
| EVP\_MD\_CTX\_new +-------------------------------------------------+  
v v |  
EVP\_MD\_CTX\_reset + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + EVP\_MD\_CTX\_reset |  
+-------------------> ' newed ' <--------------------+ |  
| + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + | |  
| | | |  
| | EVP\_DigestInit | |  
| v | |  
| EVP\_DigestInit + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + | |  
+----+-------------------> ' initialised ' <+ EVP\_DigestInit | |  
| | + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + | | |  
| | | ^ | | |  
| | | EVP\_DigestUpdate | EVP\_DigestInit | | |  
| | v | | | |  
| | +---------------------------------------------+ | | |  
| +-------------------- | | | | |  
| | | | | |  
| EVP\_DigestUpdate | | | | |  
| +-------------------- | | | | |  
| | | updated | | | |  
| +-------------------> | | | | |  
| | | | | |  
| | | | | |  
+----+------------------------- | | -+-------------------+----+ |  
| | +---------------------------------------------+ | | | |  
| | | | | | |  
| | | EVP\_DigestSqueeze +-------------------+ | | |  
| | v | | | |  
| | EVP\_DigestSqueeze +---------------------------------------------+ | | |  
| | +-------------------- | | | | |  
| | | | squeezed | | | |  
| | +-------------------> | | ---------------------+ | |  
| | +---------------------------------------------+ | |  
| | | | |  
| | +---------------------------------------+ | |  
| | | | |  
| | +---------------------------------------------+ EVP\_DigestFinalXOF | | |  
| +------------------------- | finaled | <--------------------+----+ |  
| +---------------------------------------------+ | |  
| EVP\_DigestFinal ^ | | | |  
+---------------------------------+ | | EVP\_MD\_CTX\_free | |  
| v | |  
| +------------------+ EVP\_MD\_CTX\_free | |  
| | freed | <--------------------+ |  
| +------------------+ |  
| |  
+------------------------------------------------------+

## [Formal State Transitions](#Formal_State_Transitions)

This section defines all of the legal state transitions. This is the canonical list.  
Function Call --------------------- Current State -----------------------------------  
start newed initialised updated finaled squeezed freed  
EVP\_MD\_CTX\_new newed  
EVP\_DigestInit initialised initialised initialised initialised initialised  
EVP\_DigestUpdate updated updated  
EVP\_DigestFinal finaled  
EVP\_DigestFinalXOF finaled  
EVP\_DigestSqueeze squeezed squeezed  
EVP\_MD\_CTX\_free freed freed freed freed freed  
EVP\_MD\_CTX\_reset newed newed newed newed  
EVP\_MD\_CTX\_get\_params newed initialised updated  
EVP\_MD\_CTX\_set\_params newed initialised updated  
EVP\_MD\_CTX\_gettable\_params newed initialised updated  
EVP\_MD\_CTX\_settable\_params newed initialised updated  
EVP\_MD\_CTX\_copy\_ex newed initialised updated squeezed

# [NOTES](#NOTES)

At some point the EVP layer will begin enforcing the transitions described herein.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**provider-digest**(7)](/man/os/openssl-4.0/provider-digest.7), [**EVP\_DigestInit**(3)](/man/os/openssl-4.0/EVP_DigestInit.3)

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright 2021-2023 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>.

2026-09-29 4.0.3

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Document: life_cycle-digest(7ossl) from openssl-4.0 4.0.3-r2 (Chainguard OS)