Hash Generator
Compute MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512, and CRC32 hashes from any text. All algorithms run locally in your browser.
Generate Hashes
Enter text and compute every algorithm at once
Hash Results
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About These Hash Algorithms
What each algorithm is good for - and what to avoid
MD5 MD5
A 128-bit digest from 1992. Fast and universally supported, but collision-broken since 2004. Fine for non-security checksums like deduplication and cache keys; never use it for signatures or certificates.
SHA-1 SHA-1
A 160-bit digest. Formally collision-broken in 2017 - browsers no longer trust SHA-1 certificates. Legacy verification only; prefer SHA-256 or above for anything new.
SHA-2 SHA-256 / 384 / 512
The SHA-2 family, computed here with the browser's native WebCrypto API. The current standard for TLS, code signing, Git commits, and file integrity. Prefer SHA-256 or above whenever security matters.
CRC CRC32
A 32-bit cyclic redundancy check, not a cryptographic hash. Detects accidental corruption in ZIP entries and Ethernet frames, but is trivial to collide. Use it for quick change detection, never for security.
Security Notes
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MD5 and SHA-1 are broken for security purposes - use SHA-256 or above for signatures and integrity checks.
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Never store passwords with a plain hash. Use a dedicated password hashing algorithm such as Argon2, bcrypt, or scrypt instead.
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Hashing is one-way: the same input always produces the same digest, but the digest cannot be turned back into the input.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hash function?
A hash function converts any input text into a fixed-length digest. The same input always produces the same digest, and even a one-character change produces a completely different value. Hashes are used for integrity checks, deduplication, signatures, and fingerprints.
Why do MD5 and SHA-1 have security warnings?
Researchers have demonstrated practical collisions for both: different inputs that produce the same digest. That breaks their core security promise, so they must not be used for signatures, certificates, or tamper-proofing. They remain fine for non-adversarial checksums.
Can a hash be reversed to recover the original text?
No. Hashing is mathematically one-way. Attackers can only try precomputed tables (rainbow tables) or brute-force guessing of likely inputs - which is why unique salts matter whenever hashes protect secrets.
Which algorithm should I use?
For anything security-relevant, use SHA-256 or above. For quick change detection or cache keys, MD5 or CRC32 is fast and sufficient. For passwords, use a dedicated password hash such as Argon2, bcrypt, or scrypt - never a fast general-purpose hash.