Hash Generator

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512?

They differ in output size and security: MD5 (128-bit, broken — avoid for security), SHA-1 (160-bit, deprecated), SHA-256 (256-bit, secure, widely used), SHA-512 (512-bit, highest security). Use SHA-256 or SHA-512 for modern applications.

Can a hash be reversed to recover the original input?

No. Hash functions are one-way by design. However, common inputs (passwords, dictionary words) can be cracked via rainbow tables or brute force. This is why passwords must be hashed with a salt using bcrypt or Argon2 — not plain SHA.

Is this tool safe for hashing passwords?

No — never use plain SHA hashes for passwords. They are too fast, making brute-force attacks feasible. Use bcrypt, Argon2, or PBKDF2 instead. Try the bcrypt-generator tool for password-safe hashing.

What is a file hash used for?

File hashing verifies integrity: hash a downloaded file and compare it with the publisher's posted hash. A mismatch means the file was corrupted in transit or tampered with. SHA-256 is the standard for software verification.

Why do I get a different hash than another tool for the same input?

Check for encoding differences. A UTF-8 BOM prefix, a trailing newline, or different whitespace will change the hash entirely. Ensure both tools hash the exact same bytes — 'hello' and 'hello\n' produce different results.