What is the difference between SHA-256 and MD5?

SHA-256 produces a 256-bit hash and is cryptographically secure, suitable for security-sensitive applications. MD5 produces a 128-bit hash and is considered broken for cryptographic purposes — it is vulnerable to collision attacks. Use SHA-256 or SHA-512 for security applications and file integrity checks.

What is HMAC and when should I use it?

HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code) combines a cryptographic hash function with a secret key to verify both data integrity and authenticity. Use HMAC when you need to verify that a message was not tampered with and came from someone who knows the shared secret key.

Why use Bcrypt for password hashing instead of SHA-256?

Bcrypt is specifically designed for password hashing. Unlike SHA-256 which is designed to be fast, Bcrypt is intentionally slow and includes an adjustable cost factor. This makes brute-force and rainbow table attacks much harder. Always use Bcrypt, Argon2, or PBKDF2 for storing passwords — never plain SHA-256 or MD5.

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Hash Generator

Generate cryptographic hashes, HMAC signatures, and Bcrypt password hashes.

Hash Generator

Algorithm

Input Text *

Hash Output

Hash will appear here — updates as you type…

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HMAC Generator

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HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code) verifies both data integrity and authenticity using a shared secret key.

Algorithm

Message *

Secret Key *

HMAC Output

HMAC signature will appear here…

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Bcrypt Password Hashing

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Bcrypt is designed for hashing passwords. Higher rounds = slower = more secure. Default of 10 is a good balance for most applications.

Password / Text *

Work Factor (rounds)

Bcrypt Hash (for verification)

Output

Bcrypt hash or verification result will appear here…