All algorithms at once
Generate cryptographic hashes from any string using MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, or SHA-512. Results update in real time as you type. All processing happens in your browser using the native Web Crypto API — nothing is ever sent to a server.
A cryptographic hash function takes an input of any length and produces a fixed-length output — the "hash" or "digest". The same input always produces the same output, but even a tiny change in the input results in a completely different hash. This property, known as the avalanche effect, makes hashes useful for verifying data integrity.
Hash functions are one-way: given a hash, it is computationally infeasible to find the original input. They are widely used for password storage (with salting), file integrity verification (checksums), digital signatures, and ensuring message authenticity in communication protocols like TLS and SSH.
SubtleCrypto APIHash functions are a cornerstone of password security. Instead of storing a user's password directly, applications store the hash — so even if the database is compromised, the attacker only sees irreversible hash values, not the passwords themselves. However, using plain SHA-256 or MD5 for passwords is still insecure because of pre-computed "rainbow table" attacks.
For password storage, always use a dedicated password-hashing algorithm like bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2. These algorithms are intentionally slow and incorporate a random "salt" (extra random data mixed with the password before hashing) that makes rainbow table attacks impractical. The tools on this page compute raw hashes — they are suitable for checksums and data integrity, but not for storing passwords in production.