Hash Generator

Authoritative Source & Methodology

This tool performs all calculations client-side in your browser. For SHA-family algorithms (SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512), we use the W3C standard Web Cryptography API (SubtleCrypto), which provides high-performance, native cryptographic operations.

The algorithms rigorously follow the specifications defined by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF):

• SHA-1, SHA-2 Family: NIST FIPS PUB 180-4 (Secure Hash Standard)
• MD5: IETF RFC 1321 (Note: MD5 is provided for legacy checksum verification and is not considered cryptographically secure.)

All calculations are based strictly on the formulas and data provided by these sources. Your data is never transmitted or stored.

The Formula Explained

A hash function, $H$, is a mathematical algorithm that takes an input (called the "message," $M$) of any size and produces a fixed-size string of characters, known as the "hash," "digest," or $h$.

This process can be represented generally as:

For example, using SHA-256, the output is always a 256-bit value, regardless of whether the input is a single word or an entire book. This output is then typically represented as a hexadecimal string.

A key property of cryptographic hash functions is that they are one-way: it is computationally infeasible to derive the original message $M$ from its hash $h$.

Glossary of Variables & Terms

Input Text (Message)

The data, string, or text of any length that you provide to the hash function.

Hash (Digest)

The fixed-length output string generated by the hash function. Its length is determined by the algorithm (e.g., 128 bits for MD5, 256 bits for SHA-256).

MD5 (Message Digest 5)

An older hash function that produces a 128-bit (32-character hex) hash. It is fast but not secure against collisions and should not be used for security purposes. It is still used for basic file integrity checks.

SHA-1 (Secure Hash Algorithm 1)

Produces a 160-bit (40-character hex) hash. Like MD5, it is no longer considered secure and has been deprecated by major browsers and CAs.

SHA-2 (Secure Hash Algorithm 2)

A family of secure hash functions. This tool includes SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512, which are the industry standard for tasks requiring data integrity and security.

Checksum

A value (often a hash) used to verify the integrity of data. By comparing the hash of a file you received with the hash provided by the source, you can confirm the file was not corrupted or tampered with.

How It Works: A Step-by-Step Example

Let's see how to generate a SHA-256 hash for a simple string.

1. Input String: Hello, world!
2. Step 1 (Encoding): The text "Hello, world!" is converted into a sequence of bytes using UTF-8 encoding.
3. Step 2 (Processing): This byte sequence is fed into the SHA-256 algorithm. The algorithm performs a series of complex mathematical operations (rounds of shifting, rotating, and mixing) on the data.
4. Step 3 (Output): The algorithm outputs a final 256-bit binary value.
5. Step 4 (Formatting): This 256-bit value is converted into a 64-character hexadecimal string for easier display and use.

Final SHA-256 Hash:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)