Stax

Hash Generator

Generate SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512 cryptographic hashes instantly in your browser. Free, no login, 100% client-side using Web Crypto API.

What is a hash generator?

A hash generator applies a cryptographic hash function to your input and produces a fixed-length hex string — the hash. The same input always produces the same output. Change even one character and the hash changes completely. This makes hashes ideal for verifying data integrity and storing passwords safely.

SHA-256 vs SHA-512

SHA-256 produces a 256-bit (64 hex character) hash. SHA-512 produces a 512-bit (128 hex character) hash. Both are secure. SHA-256 is more widely used and slightly faster on 32-bit systems. SHA-512 has a larger security margin and is faster on 64-bit systems.

How hashing is used in practice

  • File integrity: download a file and verify its SHA-256 hash matches the one published by the vendor.
  • Password storage: never store plain passwords — store the hash (with a salt). bcrypt and Argon2 are better for this than raw SHA, but SHA-256 is the underlying primitive.
  • API authentication: HMAC-SHA256 is used to sign API requests in AWS, Stripe, and most modern APIs.

Frequently asked questions

What is a cryptographic hash?
A hash function takes any input and produces a fixed-length string (the hash or digest). The same input always produces the same hash. Even a single character change produces a completely different hash. Hashes are one-way — you can't reverse a hash to get the original input.
Which algorithm should I use?
SHA-256 for most purposes — it's the current standard used in TLS, code signing, and password storage. SHA-512 offers more security at slightly more cost. SHA-1 is broken for security purposes (don't use for signatures or certificates) but still used for checksums and Git object IDs.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. This tool uses the browser's built-in Web Crypto API (crypto.subtle.digest). Your text is hashed locally and never leaves your device.
What is a hash used for?
Verifying file integrity (checksums), storing passwords securely (with a salt), digital signatures, data deduplication, and generating unique identifiers. SHA-256 is what Bitcoin uses to secure its blockchain.
Why no MD5?
MD5 is cryptographically broken — collisions (two different inputs producing the same hash) can be generated in seconds. We only include secure algorithms. If you need to verify an MD5 checksum from a third-party source, any terminal has md5sum built in.

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