Hash Generator
Generate MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 hashes instantly. Perfect for checksums, data integrity, and password hashing.
Input Text
Enter text to generate hash values
MD5
128-bit hash (32 hex characters)
Enter text to generate hash
SHA-1
160-bit hash (40 hex characters)
Enter text to generate hash
SHA-256
256-bit hash (64 hex characters)
Enter text to generate hash
SHA-512
512-bit hash (128 hex characters)
Enter text to generate hash
About Hash Functions
A hash function is a mathematical algorithm that maps data of arbitrary size to a fixed-size string of bytes. The output, called a hash value or digest, is unique to the input data.
Hash Algorithm Comparison:
MD5 (Message Digest 5):
- 128-bit hash value (32 hexadecimal characters)
- Fast but cryptographically broken - use only for checksums
- Not recommended for security applications
SHA-1 (Secure Hash Algorithm 1):
- 160-bit hash value (40 hexadecimal characters)
- Deprecated for security use but still used for checksums
- Git uses SHA-1 for version control
SHA-256:
- 256-bit hash value (64 hexadecimal characters)
- Part of SHA-2 family, widely used and secure
- Used in Bitcoin and blockchain technology
SHA-512:
- 512-bit hash value (128 hexadecimal characters)
- Stronger than SHA-256, used for high-security applications
- Better performance on 64-bit systems
Common Use Cases
- File Integrity: Verify files haven't been corrupted during transfer
- Password Storage: Store password hashes instead of plain text (use with salt)
- Digital Signatures: Create unique identifiers for documents
- Checksums: Detect errors in data transmission
- Data Deduplication: Identify duplicate files by comparing hashes
- Caching: Generate cache keys based on content