Security
6 min read
February 18, 2026
Hash Generator: MD5, SHA-256, and When to Use Each
Not all hash functions are created equal. Here's what MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 do — and which to use in 2026.
By EpicToolify Editorial
A cryptographic hash function converts any input into a fixed-length output (the hash or digest). MD5 (128-bit) and SHA-1 (160-bit) are considered cryptographically broken for security purposes — collisions can be generated in practice. Do not use them for passwords, digital signatures, or security-critical checksums.
SHA-256 and SHA-512 (from the SHA-2 family) remain secure for most applications in 2026. For password hashing specifically, use bcrypt, Argon2, or scrypt.