Hash Generators: How I Use Them and Which Algorithm I Choose
Hashing is not one tool. It is a family of algorithms with different purposes. Here is the decision tree I use. I use hashing constantly but I use different algorithms for different jobs, and the differences matter. MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-3, BLAKE3, bcrypt, scrypt, Argon2: each exists for a reason, and using the wrong one produces anything from collisions to security disasters. A hash generator in the browser that supports all of them is one of the tools I keep within one click. Here is the decision tree I use. Use SHA-256 for Integrity Checks When I want to verify a file is the one I expect, I use SHA-256. Compute the hash of the bytes I have, compare to the expected hash, and if they match the file is intact. SHA-256 is fast enough for most files, has no practical collisions known, and is supported by every checksum tool on every platform. When I publish a download, I publish a SHA-256 alongside it for verification. This is the workhorse case for hashing in my workflow. Releases, downloaded artifacts, cached responses, anything where I want a small fingerprint that proves the bigger object has not changed. More tutorials are on the KitCraft Blog.