Generate cryptographic hash values for any text input. This tool computes SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512 hashes instantly — useful for verifying file integrity, generating checksums, and understanding how one-way hash functions work.
Last updated: June 2026
Instantly generate SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512 hashes from any text input. Uses the Web Crypto API built into your browser — nothing is sent to any server.
A cryptographic hash function takes any input and produces a fixed-size string of characters (the hash or digest). The same input always produces the same hash, but even a tiny change to the input produces a completely different hash. Hashes are one-way — you cannot reverse a hash to recover the original input.
SHA-1 (160 bits / 40 characters) — The oldest algorithm in this list. SHA-1 is considered cryptographically broken for security purposes (collision attacks have been demonstrated) but is still widely used for non-security checksums like Git commit hashes. SHA-256 (256 bits / 64 characters) — The most widely used secure hash algorithm. Used in SSL/TLS certificates, Bitcoin mining, digital signatures, and general-purpose integrity verification. SHA-384 (384 bits / 96 characters) — A truncated version of SHA-512. Offers higher security than SHA-256 with moderate performance overhead. SHA-512 (512 bits / 128 characters) — The strongest algorithm available here. Used when maximum security is needed. Actually faster than SHA-256 on 64-bit processors.
Verifying file integrity after download (comparing hash against published value). Password storage (hashing passwords before storing in a database). Digital signatures and certificates. Data deduplication (identifying identical files by their hash). Blockchain and cryptocurrency operations.
| Algorithm | Output Length | Security Level | Speed | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD5 | 128 bits (32 hex) | Broken — do not use for security | Very fast | Checksums, non-security fingerprints |
| SHA-1 | 160 bits (40 hex) | Deprecated — collision attacks exist | Fast | Legacy systems, Git commits |
| SHA-256 | 256 bits (64 hex) | Strong — industry standard | Moderate | Digital signatures, blockchain, TLS |
| SHA-384 | 384 bits (96 hex) | Very strong | Moderate | Government and finance applications |
| SHA-512 | 512 bits (128 hex) | Very strong | Moderate | High-security applications, key derivation |
This tool hashes text strings. To hash a file, you would need to read it as binary data first. Many command-line tools (sha256sum on Linux, certutil on Windows) can hash files directly.
Yes. SHA-256 is currently considered secure against all known attacks. It would take more energy than the sun produces in its lifetime to brute-force a SHA-256 hash. It is the standard for most security applications today.
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