SHA-256, SHA-384 & SHA-512 Hash Generator

About this sha hash generator

A cryptographic hash maps bytes to a fixed-length digest. The same bytes and algorithm produce the same digest, so hashes are useful for checksum comparisons and change detection.

Text is converted to UTF-8 before hashing. Files are read as raw bytes. The browser Web Crypto digest operation is non-streaming, so this page limits selected files to 100 MiB to protect memory and responsiveness.

Cryptographic hashes map any input to a fixed-length digest. The same input always produces the same hash, but even tiny changes produce completely different digests. This makes hashes ideal for checksum verification (confirming downloads haven't been tampered with), change detection (monitoring file modifications), and data integrity checks. This free online hash generator uses the browser Web Crypto API for strong SHA algorithms—no external services, no compromises.

Three hash algorithms serve different security levels: SHA-256 (standard for most uses), SHA-384 (moderate extra security), and SHA-512 (maximum strength for highly sensitive data). Hash text directly or upload local files up to 100 MiB for direct byte-level hashing. The tool handles the tricky parts automatically: text gets UTF-8 encoding, file bytes are read raw, and output is provided as hexadecimal for easy comparison.

Verify software downloads against publisher checksums, detect unauthorized file modifications, hash sensitive data for audit trails, and validate data migrations. The hex output format is standard across tools and systems, so you can compare directly with checksums from official sources. Remember: general hashing is not password storage (use Argon2id or scrypt for that) or encryption (use AES for confidentiality). Processing is entirely local—files never leave your browser.

How to use this tool

1. 01

   Select an algorithm

   SHA-256 is the common default. Use SHA-384 or SHA-512 when a protocol or published checksum specifically requires it.

2. 02

   Supply text or one file

   A selected file takes precedence over the text box. No file content is uploaded.

3. 03

   Compare exact hexadecimal text

   A checksum only matches when every digest character matches; also confirm the stated algorithm came from a trusted source.

Worked examples

abc

ba7816bf8f01cfea414140de5dae2223b00361a396177a9cb410ff61f20015ad

abc versus abc followed by a newline

Different byte sequences produce different digests.

Limits and edge cases

• Hashing is not encryption: there is no key and no decryption operation. A plain hash also does not authenticate who supplied a file.
• General SHA digests are not suitable password storage. Passwords require a purpose-built, salted, slow password-hashing function such as Argon2id or scrypt.
• Web Crypto digest reads the entire message into memory rather than streaming. The 100 MiB page limit avoids large in-tab allocations.
• Web Crypto requires a secure browser context, so the deployed page must use HTTPS; localhost remains available for development.
• A checksum copied from the same compromised location as a download may not provide meaningful integrity assurance. Obtain trusted reference digests separately.

Standards and references

• W3C Web Cryptography API Recommendation
• NIST FIPS 180-4 — Secure Hash Standard