Hash Generator

Generate MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 cryptographic hashes. All processing happens locally in your browser.

Select Hash Algorithm

MD5128-bit (32 hex chars)Not cryptographically secureSHA-1160-bit (40 hex chars)Deprecated for securitySHA-256256-bit (64 hex chars)RecommendedSHA-512512-bit (128 hex chars)Most secure

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SHA-256 Hash

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Compare Hashes

Verify if your generated hash matches another hash (e.g., for file integrity verification)

Security Notice

MD5 and SHA-1 are no longer considered secure for cryptographic purposes due to known vulnerabilities. Use SHA-256 or SHA-512 for security-critical applications like password hashing, digital signatures, and certificate verification.

About Hash Generator & Technical Guide

What is Cryptographic Hashing?

Cryptographic hashing is a one-way mathematical function that takes an input (or 'message') and returns a fixed-size string of characters, which is typically a hexadecimal number. Unlike encryption, hashing is one-way; you cannot "decrypt" a hash back into its original text.

A good hashing algorithm is deterministic (same input always produces same output), fast to compute, and designed so that even a tiny change in input significantly changes the resulting hash.

Understanding the Algorithms

MD5 & SHA-1 (Legacy)

These older algorithms are faster but are no longer considered secure for cryptographic signatures or password storage due to "collision" vulnerabilities—where two different inputs can produce the same hash.

SHA-256 & SHA-512 (Modern Standard)

Part of the SHA-2 family, these are the current industry standards for data integrity and security. SHA-256 is widely used in everything from SSL certificates to Bitcoin mining.

Common Use Cases for Hashes

File Integrity: Verify that a downloaded file hasn't been corrupted or tampered with by comparing its hash to the official source.
Password Storage: In-theory, databases should never store plain-text passwords, only their "salted" hashes.
Digital Signatures: Hashing the contents of a message before signing ensures that the message hasn't been altered.

Privacy and Browser-Based Hashing

Online "hash crackers" or "rainbow table" sites often log the hashes you search for. Our Hash Generator handles all computation locally using the Web Crypto API. This means your sensitive strings and file contents never leave your browser, providing a secure environment for generating checksums and verifying tokens.

🔒 Privacy Commitment

Like all tools in the Dev Tool Kit, this Hash Generator operates 100% client-side. Your data is processed locally in your browser and is never sent to our servers. Privacy is not just a feature; it's our core architecture.