What a hash is
A hash is a fixed-length fingerprint of some data. Feed in any text and a hashing algorithm returns a string of characters that is practically unique to that input. Change a single character and the hash changes completely, which makes hashes useful for verifying that data has not been altered.
Algorithms this tool generates
- MD5: A fast 128-bit hash, still common for checksums but no longer suitable for security.
- SHA-1: A 160-bit hash now considered weak for security use.
- SHA-256: Part of the SHA-2 family and a solid default for integrity and security.
- SHA-512: A larger SHA-2 variant that produces a 512-bit hash.
Common uses
- Verifying that a downloaded file matches its published checksum.
- Comparing two pieces of text without revealing their contents.
- Generating stable identifiers from strings.
Privacy and security notes
- Every hash is generated in your browser, so your text is never uploaded.
- For anything security sensitive, prefer SHA-256 or SHA-512 over MD5 and SHA-1.
- Hashing is one way: you cannot turn a hash back into the original text.