Hash & checksums
SHA-256 Generator
Create SHA-256 hashes locally in the browser using the Web Crypto API.
How to use this tool
Paste text into the input field.
The SHA-256 digest is generated locally with browser cryptography APIs.
Copy the hash for checksums, content identifiers, documentation, or comparison workflows.
What SHA-256 is good for
SHA-256 is a modern cryptographic hash function used for integrity checks, identifiers, signatures, certificates, and many security protocols.
It produces a fixed-size digest from arbitrary input data.
It is much stronger than MD5 and SHA-1 for collision resistance, but it is still not a password hashing algorithm by itself.
Checksums versus password hashing
A SHA-256 checksum can confirm whether two pieces of data are identical.
Passwords need slow, salted password hashing such as Argon2id, bcrypt, or scrypt because attackers can try many SHA-256 guesses quickly.
For message authentication, use HMAC instead of a plain hash.
Examples
Compare copied text
Hash two text snippets and compare the digests to detect any byte-level difference.
Document a release checksum
Publish a SHA-256 checksum next to a downloadable file so users can verify integrity with their own tools.
FAQ
Can SHA-256 be reversed?
No. SHA-256 is a one-way digest. However, weak inputs can still be guessed by hashing candidate values.
Is SHA-256 good for passwords?
Not by itself. Use a slow salted password hashing algorithm such as Argon2id, bcrypt, or scrypt.
When should I use HMAC?
Use HMAC when you need to prove a message came from someone who knows a shared secret, not just that the content has a digest.
Is the input uploaded?
No. SHA-256 generation runs locally in your browser.