Hash Generator
Generate MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 hashes from any text input.
How to Use This Tool
- Choose the options or parameters you want the Hash Generator to use, such as length, character set, or quantity.
- Click the generate button and the Hash Generator will produce a fresh result instantly.
- Copy the output to your clipboard, or click generate again for another unique result.
Common Use Cases
- File integrity checks: Verify downloads match published SHA-256 checksums to detect corruption or man-in-the-middle tampering.
- Cache busting: Compute MD5 or SHA-1 of asset contents to generate fingerprinted filenames like app.a3f8b2.js for long-term browser caching.
- Database deduplication: Hash large blobs (images, documents) and store the digest as a unique index to detect and reject duplicate uploads.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which hash should I use for passwords?
None of the fast hashes on this page. MD5, SHA-1, and even SHA-256 are too fast and vulnerable to GPU brute force. Use bcrypt, scrypt, Argon2id, or PBKDF2 with a high iteration count for password storage. This tool is for file integrity, not credential storage.
Is SHA-256 still secure?
Yes. As of 2026, SHA-256 has no known practical collisions or preimage attacks. Bitcoin and TLS rely on it. SHA-1 and MD5, however, are broken: SHA-1 collisions were demonstrated in 2017 (SHAttered), and MD5 collisions are trivial in seconds on commodity hardware.
Why do MD5 and SHA-1 produce different hash lengths?
MD5 outputs 128 bits (32 hex chars), SHA-1 outputs 160 bits (40 hex chars), SHA-256 outputs 256 bits (64 hex chars). Longer hashes have larger output space, reducing collision probability and increasing brute-force cost.