🔑 Hashing

Free Online Hashing Tools

Generate SHA-256, SHA-512, MD5, HMAC, bcrypt, and Argon2 hashes. Verify password hashes and compute file checksums without any server-side processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between SHA-256 and MD5?

SHA-256 produces a 256-bit digest and is considered cryptographically secure. MD5 produces a 128-bit digest and is broken for cryptographic purposes (collision attacks exist) — only use MD5 for checksums, not security-sensitive operations.

What is HMAC?

HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code) combines a hash function with a secret key to produce a message authentication code. Unlike a plain hash, HMAC verifies both the message integrity and the sender's identity. Used for API request signing and JWT signatures.

Is bcrypt better than SHA-256 for passwords?

Yes. Bcrypt is intentionally slow and includes a built-in salt, making brute-force and rainbow table attacks impractical. SHA-256 is too fast for password hashing — a GPU can compute billions per second. Always use bcrypt, Argon2, or scrypt for storing passwords.

What is a hash used for?

Hashes are used for password storage (bcrypt, Argon2), data integrity verification (SHA-256 checksums), digital signatures, and deduplication. A good hash function is deterministic, fast to compute, and computationally infeasible to reverse.