SHA Hash Generator
Generate SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512 hashes using the browser's native Web Crypto API — secure, fast, private.
Hash Results
SHA-1
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SHA-256
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SHA-384
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SHA-512
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Hash Comparison
Verify if two hashes match — useful for checking file integrity.
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SHA Hash Algorithms Explained
SHA (Secure Hash Algorithm) is a family of cryptographic hash functions published by NIST. They convert input data of any size into a fixed-length hash value that uniquely represents that data.
Comparison of SHA Algorithms
- SHA-1 — 160-bit output (40 hex chars). Now considered broken for security use (collision attacks exist). Avoid for new applications; still used in legacy systems and Git.
- SHA-256 — 256-bit output (64 hex chars). Part of SHA-2 family. Widely used, highly secure. Standard for TLS certificates, Bitcoin, and most modern security applications.
- SHA-384 — 384-bit output (96 hex chars). Truncated version of SHA-512. Used in some TLS cipher suites.
- SHA-512 — 512-bit output (128 hex chars). Highest security. Preferred for high-security applications. Faster than SHA-256 on 64-bit systems.
When to Use SHA-256 vs SHA-512
For most use cases, SHA-256 provides more than sufficient security. Use SHA-512 when you need maximum security margin or when processing on 64-bit hardware where SHA-512 can be faster due to hardware optimizations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can SHA-256 hashes be reversed?
No. SHA hashes are one-way functions. The only way to "reverse" a SHA-256 hash is to try every possible input and compare (brute force), which is computationally infeasible for strong inputs. However, common words and simple passwords can be found in precomputed hash databases (rainbow tables).
What's the difference between a hash and encryption?
Encryption is a two-way process — data can be encrypted and decrypted with a key. Hashing is one-way — you cannot recover the original data from a hash. Hashes are used for integrity verification; encryption is used for confidentiality.
Should I use SHA-256 for password hashing?
No. Standard SHA algorithms (including SHA-256) are too fast for password hashing — an attacker can compute billions of hashes per second using GPUs. For passwords, use bcrypt, Argon2, or scrypt, which are intentionally slow and resistant to GPU attacks.
How does this tool generate hashes?
This tool uses the browser's built-in
crypto.subtle.digest() Web Crypto API, which is a standards-based, hardware-accelerated cryptographic implementation. No external libraries are used, and no data leaves your device.