Hash generator · Guide
SHA-256 vs SHA-1 vs MD5
These three algorithms are often mentioned together, but only one is safe for security today. Here is the comparison.
Security status
MD5 and SHA-1 are broken for security: practical collision attacks exist, so they must not be used to protect anything. SHA-256 remains secure and is the current default.
When older hashes are still OK
MD5 and SHA-1 are fine as non-security checksums — detecting accidental corruption or as cache keys — where an attacker is not in the picture. For anything security-related, use SHA-256 or stronger.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use this for production work?
Yes, for inspection, formatting and quick generation. Still review the output before committing it to production code or configuration.
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