Hash Generator

Why the same text gives a different hash

A hash is calculated from exact bytes, so an invisible difference changes all of it: a trailing newline, Windows line endings (\r\n) instead of Unix ones (\n), a leading space, or a different text encoding. When a hash does not match the one you expected, check those first. For files, the file hash tool reads the bytes directly, avoiding copy-and-paste changes.

Which algorithm, for what

SHA-256 is the everyday choice for checksums, cache keys, and deduplication. SHA-1 and MD5 are broken for security, since collisions can be manufactured; use them only to compare against old checksums. For passwords, a fast hash is the wrong tool: services should use a slow, salted algorithm such as Argon2 or bcrypt, and people should use a password generator and a manager.

How to use it

1. Enter text and choose an algorithm.
2. Generate the digest locally.
3. Copy the lowercase hexadecimal hash.

Privacy & limitations

Input stays local. A plain hash is not password storage; password systems need a purpose-built slow, salted algorithm.