Which hash algorithm should I use?

SHA-256 for anything security-related — it is the modern standard. Use MD5 or SHA-1 only when a legacy system or protocol requires them, and never for passwords or signatures.

Can a hash be decrypted back to the original text?

No — hashing is one-way, not encryption. Attackers can only guess inputs and compare digests (brute force or rainbow tables), which is why long, unpredictable inputs matter.

Is it safe to hash passwords with this tool?

The tool is fine for testing, but real systems should never store passwords as plain MD5/SHA digests. Use a slow, salted password-hashing algorithm such as bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2.

Why do I always get the same hash for the same text?

Determinism is a core property of hash functions — identical input must yield an identical digest. That is what makes hashes usable as fingerprints and cache keys.

Hash Generator — MD5, SHA-256 & SHA-512

Hash Generator — MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512

This free hash generator computes MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512 digests of any text directly in your browser. Hashes are used to fingerprint data: compare file or string contents, generate cache keys and ETags, deduplicate records, and verify that a value has not changed.

The SHA family is computed with the browser's native Web Crypto API. Note that MD5 and SHA-1 are cryptographically broken and should only be used for checksums and legacy compatibility — use SHA-256 or stronger wherever security matters. Your input never leaves your device.

How to use Hash Generator

Paste or type the text you want to hash.
Select an algorithm — SHA-256 is the recommended default.
Press Generate Hash.
Copy the hexadecimal digest with the copy button.

What is a cryptographic hash?

A hash function maps input of any size to a fixed-size digest. Good cryptographic hashes are one-way (you cannot recover the input from the digest), deterministic (same input, same output), and avalanche-sensitive — changing a single character produces a completely different digest. That combination makes hashes ideal fingerprints for integrity checking.

SHA-256("hello")
= 2cf24dba5fb0a30e26e83b2ac5b9e29e1b161e5c1fa7425e73043362938b9824

A tiny input change would alter every part of this digest.

Choosing an algorithm

MD5 (128-bit) — fast but broken: collisions can be manufactured. Only for non-security checksums and legacy systems.
SHA-1 (160-bit) — also broken for collision resistance since 2017; avoid for anything new.
SHA-256 (256-bit) — the industry standard: TLS certificates, Git (modern), blockchain, API signatures.
SHA-384 / SHA-512 — longer digests from the SHA-2 family for higher security margins; SHA-512 is often faster on 64-bit CPUs.

Related terminology

Digest: The fixed-length output of a hash function, conventionally written as hexadecimal characters.
Collision: Two different inputs producing the same digest. Practical collisions are what "broke" MD5 and SHA-1.
Avalanche effect: The property that a minimal input change flips roughly half the output bits, making digests unpredictable.
Checksum: A digest used to detect accidental corruption, e.g. verifying a download matches the published hash.
Salting: Adding unique random data before hashing passwords so identical passwords produce different digests — done with dedicated algorithms like bcrypt, not plain hashes.

Frequently asked questions

Which hash algorithm should I use?: SHA-256 for anything security-related — it is the modern standard. Use MD5 or SHA-1 only when a legacy system or protocol requires them, and never for passwords or signatures.
Can a hash be decrypted back to the original text?: No — hashing is one-way, not encryption. Attackers can only guess inputs and compare digests (brute force or rainbow tables), which is why long, unpredictable inputs matter.
Is it safe to hash passwords with this tool?: The tool is fine for testing, but real systems should never store passwords as plain MD5/SHA digests. Use a slow, salted password-hashing algorithm such as bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2.
Why do I always get the same hash for the same text?: Determinism is a core property of hash functions — identical input must yield an identical digest. That is what makes hashes usable as fingerprints and cache keys.

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Hash Generator