Hash Generator
Generate MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512 hashes. Results update in real-time as you type.
Which Hash Algorithm Should You Use?
SHA-256 is the default choice for most use cases — checksums, file integrity, HMAC. SHA-512 offers more collision resistance for very sensitive applications. MD5 and SHA-1 are considered cryptographically broken — use them only for legacy compatibility, never for passwords or security-critical operations. For passwords, use bcrypt, Argon2, or scrypt instead.
Avalanche Effect — SHA-256
Change one character → completely different hash. That's the avalanche effect.
Text encoded as UTF-8 bytes — any length from 0 bytes to 2^64 bits
Message padded to a multiple of 512 bits (SHA-256) or 1024 bits (SHA-512) with length appended
Each block processed through 64 (SHA-256) or 80 (SHA-512) rounds of bitwise operations and modular addition
Each block's output becomes the initial state for the next — Merkle–Damgård construction
Final 256- or 512-bit state encoded as lowercase hexadecimal — fixed length regardless of input
Spec: FIPS 180-4 (SHA-2), FIPS 202 (SHA-3 not implemented here)