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

MD5 has known collision vulnerabilities, so it isn't recommended for security purposes — it's only suitable for non-security uses like checking file integrity. Use SHA-256 or higher wherever security matters.

Is the text I enter sent to a server?

No. All hash computation happens entirely in your browser, using the Web Crypto API and a self-contained MD5 implementation.

Can the original text be recovered from a hash?

No. Hash functions are one-way — they're designed so the original input can't be derived from the output.

#️⃣ Hash Generator

Instantly convert text into MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512 hashes.

Input Text

How to use

Enter text in the input box above.
Hash values for each algorithm are computed automatically as you type.
Use the copy button to grab the hash value you need.

🎯 Use Cases

Verify file integrity — confirm a downloaded file's hash matches the one published by the distributor
Generate API signatures or checksums — quick data-integrity check values during development
Experiment with password hashing — check how a hash algorithm behaves for learning or testing

Example

Input

hello world

Output

MD5:     5eb63bbbe01eeed093cb22bb8f5acdc3
SHA-1:   2aae6c35c94fcfb415dbe95f408b9ce91ee846ed
SHA-256: b94d27b9934d3e08a52e52d7da7dabfac484efe37a5380ee9088f7ace2efcde9
SHA-384: fdbd8e75a67f29f701a4e040385e2e23986303ea…
SHA-512: 309ecc489c12d6eb4cc40f50c902f2b4d0ed77ee…

Entering the text hello world produces a distinct fixed-length hexadecimal hash for each algorithm — MD5 is 32 characters, SHA-256 is 64. The same input always yields the same result; the SHA-384 and SHA-512 values are truncated here for space. Change just one character to Hello World (capital H, W) and the output becomes a completely different hash — this is the "avalanche effect": a good hash function makes even a tiny input change produce a result that looks unrelated to the original.

Algorithm comparison

Algorithm	Output length	Speed	Safe for security?	Common use
MD5	128 bit (32 hex chars)	Very fast	❌ (collisions known)	File checksums, cache keys
SHA-1	160 bit (40 hex chars)	Fast	❌ (real collision found in 2017)	Legacy Git object IDs, etc.
SHA-256	256 bit (64 hex chars)	Moderate	✅	Digital signatures, certificates, blockchain
SHA-384	384 bit (96 hex chars)	Moderate	✅	TLS certificate signing, etc.
SHA-512	512 bit (128 hex chars)	Moderate	✅	High-assurance integrity checks

This tool only implements MD5 itself (md5.js); the SHA family runs through the browser's built-in crypto.subtle.digest (Web Crypto API) — a browser-vetted standard implementation, so there's no separate library to trust.

FAQ

What's the difference between MD5 and SHA-256?: MD5 has known collision vulnerabilities, so it isn't recommended for security purposes — it's only suitable for non-security uses like checking file integrity. Use SHA-256 or higher wherever security matters.
Can I hash passwords with this and store them in a database?: Not recommended. General-purpose hashes like SHA-256 are fast to compute, which makes them easy to brute-force with a GPU. Password storage should use a purpose-built, deliberately slow algorithm like bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2 instead.
Is the text I enter sent to a server?: No. All hash computation happens entirely in your browser, using the Web Crypto API and a self-contained MD5 implementation.
Can the original text be recovered from a hash?: No. Hash functions are one-way — they're designed so the original input can't be derived from the output. However, if the input is short and predictable (like a common password), it can be reverse-matched using precomputed hash tables (rainbow tables).