A hash function takes any input and produces a fixed-length string of characters, deterministically — the same input always produces the same hash, but even a tiny change to the input produces a completely different one. This makes hashes useful for verifying that a file or piece of text hasn't been altered, and for storing things like passwords without keeping the original value.
This tool computes MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512 hashes of the text you type, entirely in your browser — nothing is sent to a server. SHA-256 and above are computed via the browser's native Web Crypto API. MD5 and SHA-1 are included for compatibility with legacy systems and checksums, but are considered cryptographically broken and should not be used to protect sensitive data.
Is MD5 or SHA-1 safe to use for security?
No — both are cryptographically broken for collision resistance; use SHA-256 or SHA-512 for security-sensitive purposes like verifying file integrity or storing signatures.
Can a hash be reversed back to the original text?
No — cryptographic hash functions are one-way; you can only compare a new hash against a known one to check for a match, not recover the input from the hash.
Why do I get a different hash for the same-looking text?
Hashing is sensitive to every byte, including invisible ones — trailing whitespace, line-ending style (CRLF vs LF), or encoding differences will all change the resulting hash.