Hash Generator

Compute one or more cryptographic hashes of text or a local binary file. SHA-256 is selected by default for new work; MD5 and SHA-1 are legacy algorithms for checksums only. Input stays in your browser.

  • Runs entirely in your browser
  • No data stored or sent to a server
  • Free forever — no signup
  • Instant conversion

Input and Output

Use the interactive encoder and decoder on this page to process your text.

Learn more about hash generation

How to Generate Cryptographic Hashes

Hash Generation

When to Hash Data

Hashes produce a fixed-size fingerprint of input data. Use them for checksums, deduplication keys, cache keys, and verifying file integrity — not for storing passwords (use bcrypt or Argon2 instead).

Algorithm Guide

  • SHA-256 — default choice for most checksums and fingerprints
  • SHA-512 — longer output, same family as SHA-256
  • SHA-1 — legacy; avoid for security-sensitive use
  • MD5 — legacy checksums only; not collision-resistant

Common Mistakes

  • Trailing newline differences changing the hash output
  • Using MD5 or SHA-1 for security-critical integrity checks
  • Confusing hashing with encryption — hashes are one-way fingerprints

Developer Tips

  • Node.js: crypto.createHash('sha256').update(data).digest('hex')
  • Normalize line endings before hashing text files cross-platform
  • Use HMAC when you need a secret-keyed digest, not plain hash

Frequently asked questions

Is hashing done locally?

Yes. All hash computation runs in your browser using the Web Crypto API (or a small MD5 library). Nothing is sent to a server.

Why is my hash different from another tool?

Hashes are sensitive to exact input bytes. Differences in trailing newlines, encoding (UTF-8 vs Latin-1), or uppercase hex output can cause mismatches.