diff --git a/docs/source/developers/contents.rst b/docs/source/developers/contents.rst
index f20378314a..ca88025c88 100644
--- a/docs/source/developers/contents.rst
+++ b/docs/source/developers/contents.rst
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ Models may contain the following entries:
 |                    |``None``   |if any. (:ref:`See            |
 |                    |           |Below<modelcontent>`)         |
 +--------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
+|**md5**             |unicode or |The md5 of the contents.      |
+|                    |``None``   |                              |
+|                    |           |                              |
++--------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
 
 .. _modelcontent:
 
@@ -76,6 +80,8 @@ model. There are three model types: **notebook**, **file**, and **directory**.
       :class:`nbformat.notebooknode.NotebookNode` representing the .ipynb file
       represented by the model.  See the `NBFormat`_ documentation for a full
       description.
+    - The ``md5`` field a hexdigest string of the md5 value of the notebook
+      file.
 
 - ``file`` models
     - The ``format`` field is either ``"text"`` or ``"base64"``.
@@ -85,12 +91,14 @@ model. There are three model types: **notebook**, **file**, and **directory**.
       file models, ``content`` simply contains the file's bytes after decoding
       as UTF-8.  Non-text (``base64``) files are read as bytes, base64 encoded,
       and then decoded as UTF-8.
+    - The ``md5`` field a hexdigest string of the md5 value of the file.
 
 - ``directory`` models
     - The ``format`` field is always ``"json"``.
     - The ``mimetype`` field is always ``None``.
     - The ``content`` field contains a list of :ref:`content-free<contentfree>`
       models representing the entities in the directory.
+    - The ``md5`` field is always ``None``.
 
 .. note::
 
@@ -129,6 +137,7 @@ model. There are three model types: **notebook**, **file**, and **directory**.
         "path": "foo/a.ipynb",
         "type": "notebook",
         "writable": True,
+        "md5": "7e47382b370c05a1b14706a2a8aff91a",
     }
 
     # Notebook Model without Content
diff --git a/jupyter_server/services/contents/fileio.py b/jupyter_server/services/contents/fileio.py
index 3033ebe3fa..ba84a3733b 100644
--- a/jupyter_server/services/contents/fileio.py
+++ b/jupyter_server/services/contents/fileio.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
 # Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
 import errno
+import hashlib
 import os
 import shutil
 from base64 import decodebytes, encodebytes
@@ -268,7 +269,9 @@ def _read_notebook(self, os_path, as_version=4, capture_validation_error=None):
         with self.open(os_path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
             try:
                 return nbformat.read(
-                    f, as_version=as_version, capture_validation_error=capture_validation_error
+                    f,
+                    as_version=as_version,
+                    capture_validation_error=capture_validation_error,
                 )
             except Exception as e:
                 e_orig = e
@@ -309,6 +312,7 @@ def _read_file(self, os_path, format):
         format:
           If 'text', the contents will be decoded as UTF-8.
           If 'base64', the raw bytes contents will be encoded as base64.
+          If 'byte', the raw bytes contents will be returned.
           If not specified, try to decode as UTF-8, and fall back to base64
         """
         if not os.path.isfile(os_path):
@@ -316,6 +320,9 @@ def _read_file(self, os_path, format):
 
         with self.open(os_path, "rb") as f:
             bcontent = f.read()
+        if format == "byte":
+            # Not for http response but internal use
+            return bcontent, "byte"
 
         if format is None or format == "text":
             # Try to interpret as unicode if format is unknown or if unicode
@@ -350,6 +357,12 @@ def _save_file(self, os_path, content, format):
         with self.atomic_writing(os_path, text=False) as f:
             f.write(bcontent)
 
+    def _get_md5(self, os_path):
+        c, _ = self._read_file(os_path, "byte")
+        md5 = hashlib.md5()  # noqa: S324
+        md5.update(c)
+        return md5.hexdigest()
+
 
 class AsyncFileManagerMixin(FileManagerMixin):
     """
@@ -417,6 +430,7 @@ async def _read_file(self, os_path, format):
         format:
           If 'text', the contents will be decoded as UTF-8.
           If 'base64', the raw bytes contents will be encoded as base64.
+          If 'byte', the raw bytes contents will be returned.
           If not specified, try to decode as UTF-8, and fall back to base64
         """
         if not os.path.isfile(os_path):
@@ -424,6 +438,9 @@ async def _read_file(self, os_path, format):
 
         with self.open(os_path, "rb") as f:
             bcontent = await run_sync(f.read)
+        if format == "byte":
+            # Not for http response but internal use
+            return bcontent, "byte"
 
         if format is None or format == "text":
             # Try to interpret as unicode if format is unknown or if unicode
@@ -457,3 +474,9 @@ async def _save_file(self, os_path, content, format):
 
         with self.atomic_writing(os_path, text=False) as f:
             await run_sync(f.write, bcontent)
+
+    async def _get_md5(self, os_path):
+        c, _ = await self._read_file(os_path, "byte")
+        md5 = hashlib.md5()  # noqa: S324
+        await run_sync(md5.update, c)
+        return md5.hexdigest()
diff --git a/jupyter_server/services/contents/filemanager.py b/jupyter_server/services/contents/filemanager.py
index 64b5fc122a..fe027a5c49 100644
--- a/jupyter_server/services/contents/filemanager.py
+++ b/jupyter_server/services/contents/filemanager.py
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ def _base_model(self, path):
         model["mimetype"] = None
         model["size"] = size
         model["writable"] = self.is_writable(path)
+        model["md5"] = None
 
         return model
 
@@ -335,7 +336,7 @@ def _dir_model(self, path, content=True):
 
         return model
 
-    def _file_model(self, path, content=True, format=None):
+    def _file_model(self, path, content=True, format=None, md5=False):
         """Build a model for a file
 
         if content is requested, include the file contents.
@@ -364,10 +365,13 @@ def _file_model(self, path, content=True, format=None):
                 content=content,
                 format=format,
             )
+        if md5:
+            md5 = self._get_md5(os_path)
+            model.update(md5=md5)
 
         return model
 
-    def _notebook_model(self, path, content=True):
+    def _notebook_model(self, path, content=True, md5=False):
         """Build a notebook model
 
         if content is requested, the notebook content will be populated
@@ -386,10 +390,12 @@ def _notebook_model(self, path, content=True):
             model["content"] = nb
             model["format"] = "json"
             self.validate_notebook_model(model, validation_error)
+        if md5:
+            model["md5"] = self._get_md5(os_path)
 
         return model
 
-    def get(self, path, content=True, type=None, format=None):
+    def get(self, path, content=True, type=None, format=None, md5=None):
         """Takes a path for an entity and returns its model
 
         Parameters
@@ -404,6 +410,8 @@ def get(self, path, content=True, type=None, format=None):
         format : str, optional
             The requested format for file contents. 'text' or 'base64'.
             Ignored if this returns a notebook or directory model.
+        md5: bool, optional
+            Whether to include the md5 of the file contents.
 
         Returns
         -------
@@ -431,11 +439,11 @@ def get(self, path, content=True, type=None, format=None):
                 )
             model = self._dir_model(path, content=content)
         elif type == "notebook" or (type is None and path.endswith(".ipynb")):
-            model = self._notebook_model(path, content=content)
+            model = self._notebook_model(path, content=content, md5=md5)
         else:
             if type == "directory":
                 raise web.HTTPError(400, "%s is not a directory" % path, reason="bad type")
-            model = self._file_model(path, content=content, format=format)
+            model = self._file_model(path, content=content, format=format, md5=md5)
         self.emit(data={"action": "get", "path": path})
         return model
 
@@ -686,7 +694,9 @@ def _get_dir_size(self, path="."):
                 ).stdout.split()
             else:
                 result = subprocess.run(
-                    ["du", "-s", "--block-size=1", path], capture_output=True, check=True
+                    ["du", "-s", "--block-size=1", path],
+                    capture_output=True,
+                    check=True,
                 ).stdout.split()
 
             self.log.info(f"current status of du command {result}")
@@ -784,7 +794,7 @@ async def _dir_model(self, path, content=True):
 
         return model
 
-    async def _file_model(self, path, content=True, format=None):
+    async def _file_model(self, path, content=True, format=None, md5=False):
         """Build a model for a file
 
         if content is requested, include the file contents.
@@ -813,10 +823,13 @@ async def _file_model(self, path, content=True, format=None):
                 content=content,
                 format=format,
             )
+        if md5:
+            md5 = await self._get_md5(os_path)
+            model.update(md5=md5)
 
         return model
 
-    async def _notebook_model(self, path, content=True):
+    async def _notebook_model(self, path, content=True, md5=False):
         """Build a notebook model
 
         if content is requested, the notebook content will be populated
@@ -835,10 +848,12 @@ async def _notebook_model(self, path, content=True):
             model["content"] = nb
             model["format"] = "json"
             self.validate_notebook_model(model, validation_error)
+        if md5:
+            model["md5"] = await self._get_md5(os_path)
 
         return model
 
-    async def get(self, path, content=True, type=None, format=None):
+    async def get(self, path, content=True, type=None, format=None, md5=False):
         """Takes a path for an entity and returns its model
 
         Parameters
@@ -853,6 +868,8 @@ async def get(self, path, content=True, type=None, format=None):
         format : str, optional
             The requested format for file contents. 'text' or 'base64'.
             Ignored if this returns a notebook or directory model.
+        md5: bool, optional
+            Whether to include the md5 of the file contents.
 
         Returns
         -------
@@ -875,11 +892,11 @@ async def get(self, path, content=True, type=None, format=None):
                 )
             model = await self._dir_model(path, content=content)
         elif type == "notebook" or (type is None and path.endswith(".ipynb")):
-            model = await self._notebook_model(path, content=content)
+            model = await self._notebook_model(path, content=content, md5=md5)
         else:
             if type == "directory":
                 raise web.HTTPError(400, "%s is not a directory" % path, reason="bad type")
-            model = await self._file_model(path, content=content, format=format)
+            model = await self._file_model(path, content=content, format=format, md5=md5)
         self.emit(data={"action": "get", "path": path})
         return model
 
@@ -1147,7 +1164,9 @@ async def _get_dir_size(self, path: str = ".") -> str:
                 ).stdout.split()
             else:
                 result = subprocess.run(
-                    ["du", "-s", "--block-size=1", path], capture_output=True, check=True
+                    ["du", "-s", "--block-size=1", path],
+                    capture_output=True,
+                    check=True,
                 ).stdout.split()
 
             self.log.info(f"current status of du command {result}")
diff --git a/jupyter_server/services/contents/handlers.py b/jupyter_server/services/contents/handlers.py
index 4a3dbab19f..cc5ac5b8ca 100644
--- a/jupyter_server/services/contents/handlers.py
+++ b/jupyter_server/services/contents/handlers.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 # Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
 import json
 from http import HTTPStatus
+from typing import Any, Dict, List
 
 try:
     from jupyter_client.jsonutil import json_default
@@ -22,12 +23,35 @@
 AUTH_RESOURCE = "contents"
 
 
-def validate_model(model, expect_content):
+def _validate_in_or_not(expect_in_model: bool, model: Dict[str, Any], maybe_none_keys: List[str]):
+    """
+    Validate that the keys in maybe_none_keys are None or not None
+    """
+
+    if expect_in_model:
+        errors = [key for key in maybe_none_keys if model[key] is None]
+        if errors:
+            raise web.HTTPError(
+                500,
+                f"Keys unexpectedly None: {errors}",
+            )
+    else:
+        errors = {key: model[key] for key in maybe_none_keys if model[key] is not None}  # type: ignore[assignment]
+        if errors:
+            raise web.HTTPError(
+                500,
+                f"Keys unexpectedly not None: {errors}",
+            )
+
+
+def validate_model(model, expect_content, expect_md5):
     """
     Validate a model returned by a ContentsManager method.
 
     If expect_content is True, then we expect non-null entries for 'content'
     and 'format'.
+
+    If expect_md5 is True, then we expect non-null entries for 'md5'.
     """
     required_keys = {
         "name",
@@ -39,6 +63,7 @@ def validate_model(model, expect_content):
         "mimetype",
         "content",
         "format",
+        "md5",
     }
     missing = required_keys - set(model.keys())
     if missing:
@@ -47,21 +72,10 @@ def validate_model(model, expect_content):
             f"Missing Model Keys: {missing}",
         )
 
-    maybe_none_keys = ["content", "format"]
-    if expect_content:
-        errors = [key for key in maybe_none_keys if model[key] is None]
-        if errors:
-            raise web.HTTPError(
-                500,
-                f"Keys unexpectedly None: {errors}",
-            )
-    else:
-        errors = {key: model[key] for key in maybe_none_keys if model[key] is not None}  # type: ignore[assignment]
-        if errors:
-            raise web.HTTPError(
-                500,
-                f"Keys unexpectedly not None: {errors}",
-            )
+    content_keys = ["content", "format"]
+    md5_keys = ["md5"]
+    _validate_in_or_not(expect_content, model, content_keys)
+    _validate_in_or_not(expect_md5, model, md5_keys)
 
 
 class ContentsAPIHandler(APIHandler):
@@ -122,6 +136,11 @@ async def get(self, path=""):
             raise web.HTTPError(400, "Content %r is invalid" % content_str)
         content = int(content_str or "")
 
+        md5_str = self.get_query_argument("md5", default="0")
+        if md5_str not in {"0", "1"}:
+            raise web.HTTPError(400, "Content %r is invalid" % md5_str)
+        md5 = int(md5_str or "")
+
         if not cm.allow_hidden and await ensure_async(cm.is_hidden(path)):
             await self._finish_error(
                 HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND, f"file or directory {path!r} does not exist"
@@ -133,9 +152,10 @@ async def get(self, path=""):
                     type=type,
                     format=format,
                     content=content,
+                    md5=md5,
                 )
             )
-            validate_model(model, expect_content=content)
+            validate_model(model, expect_content=content, expect_md5=md5)
             self._finish_model(model, location=False)
         except web.HTTPError as exc:
             # 404 is okay in this context, catch exception and return 404 code to prevent stack trace on client
@@ -165,7 +185,7 @@ async def patch(self, path=""):
             raise web.HTTPError(400, f"Cannot rename file or directory {path!r}")
 
         model = await ensure_async(cm.update(model, path))
-        validate_model(model, expect_content=False)
+        validate_model(model, expect_content=False, expect_md5=False)
         self._finish_model(model)
 
     async def _copy(self, copy_from, copy_to=None):
@@ -178,7 +198,7 @@ async def _copy(self, copy_from, copy_to=None):
         )
         model = await ensure_async(self.contents_manager.copy(copy_from, copy_to))
         self.set_status(201)
-        validate_model(model, expect_content=False)
+        validate_model(model, expect_content=False, expect_md5=False)
         self._finish_model(model)
 
     async def _upload(self, model, path):
@@ -186,7 +206,7 @@ async def _upload(self, model, path):
         self.log.info("Uploading file to %s", path)
         model = await ensure_async(self.contents_manager.new(model, path))
         self.set_status(201)
-        validate_model(model, expect_content=False)
+        validate_model(model, expect_content=False, expect_md5=False)
         self._finish_model(model)
 
     async def _new_untitled(self, path, type="", ext=""):
@@ -196,7 +216,7 @@ async def _new_untitled(self, path, type="", ext=""):
             self.contents_manager.new_untitled(path=path, type=type, ext=ext)
         )
         self.set_status(201)
-        validate_model(model, expect_content=False)
+        validate_model(model, expect_content=False, expect_md5=False)
         self._finish_model(model)
 
     async def _save(self, model, path):
@@ -205,7 +225,7 @@ async def _save(self, model, path):
         if not chunk or chunk == -1:  # Avoid tedious log information
             self.log.info("Saving file at %s", path)
         model = await ensure_async(self.contents_manager.save(model, path))
-        validate_model(model, expect_content=False)
+        validate_model(model, expect_content=False, expect_md5=False)
         self._finish_model(model)
 
     @web.authenticated
@@ -356,7 +376,13 @@ async def delete(self, path, checkpoint_id):
 class NotebooksRedirectHandler(JupyterHandler):
     """Redirect /api/notebooks to /api/contents"""
 
-    SUPPORTED_METHODS = ("GET", "PUT", "PATCH", "POST", "DELETE")  # type:ignore[assignment]
+    SUPPORTED_METHODS = (
+        "GET",
+        "PUT",
+        "PATCH",
+        "POST",
+        "DELETE",
+    )  # type:ignore[assignment]
 
     def get(self, path):
         """Handle a notebooks redirect."""
diff --git a/jupyter_server/services/contents/manager.py b/jupyter_server/services/contents/manager.py
index f4f70fc338..94684bb022 100644
--- a/jupyter_server/services/contents/manager.py
+++ b/jupyter_server/services/contents/manager.py
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ def exists(self, path):
         """
         return self.file_exists(path) or self.dir_exists(path)
 
-    def get(self, path, content=True, type=None, format=None):
+    def get(self, path, content=True, type=None, format=None, md5=False):
         """Get a file or directory model."""
         raise NotImplementedError
 
diff --git a/tests/services/contents/test_api.py b/tests/services/contents/test_api.py
index 746c663345..8733b02ae7 100644
--- a/tests/services/contents/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/services/contents/test_api.py
@@ -102,6 +102,20 @@ async def test_get_nb_contents(jp_fetch, contents, path, name):
     assert isinstance(model["content"]["metadata"], dict)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("path,name", dirs)
+async def test_get_nb_md5(jp_fetch, contents, path, name):
+    nbname = name + ".ipynb"
+    nbpath = (path + "/" + nbname).lstrip("/")
+    r = await jp_fetch("api", "contents", nbpath, method="GET", params=dict(md5="1"))
+    model = json.loads(r.body.decode())
+    assert model["name"] == nbname
+    assert model["path"] == nbpath
+    assert model["type"] == "notebook"
+    assert "md5" in model
+    assert "metadata" in model["content"]
+    assert isinstance(model["content"]["metadata"], dict)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("path,name", dirs)
 async def test_get_nb_no_contents(jp_fetch, contents, path, name):
     nbname = name + ".ipynb"
@@ -186,6 +200,19 @@ async def test_get_text_file_contents(jp_fetch, contents, path, name):
     assert expected_http_error(e, 400)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("path,name", dirs)
+async def test_get_text_file_md5(jp_fetch, contents, path, name):
+    txtname = name + ".txt"
+    txtpath = (path + "/" + txtname).lstrip("/")
+    r = await jp_fetch("api", "contents", txtpath, method="GET", params=dict(md5="1"))
+    model = json.loads(r.body.decode())
+    assert model["name"] == txtname
+    assert model["path"] == txtpath
+    assert "md5" in model
+    assert model["format"] == "text"
+    assert model["type"] == "file"
+
+
 async def test_get_404_hidden(jp_fetch, contents, contents_dir):
     # Create text files
     hidden_dir = contents_dir / ".hidden"
diff --git a/tests/services/contents/test_fileio.py b/tests/services/contents/test_fileio.py
index 0f0cf1bfed..a72acfa429 100644
--- a/tests/services/contents/test_fileio.py
+++ b/tests/services/contents/test_fileio.py
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ def test_file_manager_mixin(tmpdir):
     mixin.log = logging.getLogger()
     bad_content = tmpdir / "bad_content.ipynb"
     bad_content.write_text("{}", "utf8")
+    # Same as `echo -n {} | md5sum`
+    assert mixin._get_md5(bad_content) == "99914b932bd37a50b983c5e7c90ae93b"
     with pytest.raises(HTTPError):
         mixin._read_notebook(bad_content)
     other = path_to_intermediate(bad_content)
@@ -164,6 +166,8 @@ async def test_async_file_manager_mixin(tmpdir):
     mixin.log = logging.getLogger()
     bad_content = tmpdir / "bad_content.ipynb"
     bad_content.write_text("{}", "utf8")
+    # Same as `echo -n {} | md5sum`
+    assert await mixin._get_md5(bad_content) == "99914b932bd37a50b983c5e7c90ae93b"
     with pytest.raises(HTTPError):
         await mixin._read_notebook(bad_content)
     other = path_to_intermediate(bad_content)
diff --git a/tests/services/contents/test_manager.py b/tests/services/contents/test_manager.py
index 8d4052dd2d..6e3ac01945 100644
--- a/tests/services/contents/test_manager.py
+++ b/tests/services/contents/test_manager.py
@@ -571,6 +571,9 @@ async def test_get(jp_contents_manager):  # noqa
     nb_as_bin_file = await ensure_async(cm.get(path, content=True, type="file", format="base64"))
     assert nb_as_bin_file["format"] == "base64"
 
+    nb_with_md5 = await ensure_async(cm.get(path, md5=True))
+    assert nb_with_md5["md5"]
+
     # Test in sub-directory
     sub_dir = "/foo/"
     _make_dir(cm, "foo")
@@ -585,7 +588,7 @@ async def test_get(jp_contents_manager):  # noqa
 
     # Test with a regular file.
     file_model_path = (await ensure_async(cm.new_untitled(path=sub_dir, ext=".txt")))["path"]
-    file_model = await ensure_async(cm.get(file_model_path))
+    file_model = await ensure_async(cm.get(file_model_path, md5=True))
     expected_model = {
         "content": "",
         "format": "text",
@@ -600,6 +603,7 @@ async def test_get(jp_contents_manager):  # noqa
         assert file_model[key] == value
     assert "created" in file_model
     assert "last_modified" in file_model
+    assert "md5" in file_model
 
     # Create a sub-sub directory to test getting directory contents with a
     # subdir.