ToolBoxly Guide • Utility
Hash Generator: MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512
A practical guide to generating common hashes from text or files locally in your browser and choosing the right algorithm.
A hash converts input data into a fixed-length digest. Developers use hashes for integrity checks, fingerprints and comparisons. ToolBoxly’s Hash Generator supports MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512.
How to use it
- Enter text or select a file.
- Click Generate Hashes.
- Compare the returned digests with the value you expect.
Which hash should you use?
For modern integrity and fingerprinting tasks, SHA-256 is usually a better default than MD5 or SHA-1. MD5 and SHA-1 are retained for compatibility and legacy comparison work.
Important security note
Do not store user passwords as plain MD5 or SHA hashes. Password storage requires a dedicated password-hashing algorithm with a salt and appropriate work factor.