Can I reverse a hash to get the original text?

No. Cryptographic hash functions are one-way. You cannot derive the original input from the hash output. That's what makes them useful for password storage and integrity checks.

Which hash algorithm should I use?

SHA-256 is the current standard for most applications. MD5 and SHA-1 are considered broken for security purposes but still used for checksums. SHA-512 provides extra security margin.

Hash Generator

Generate MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512 hashes. Everything runs in your browser.

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Hash Algorithm Comparison

Algorithm	Output Length	Security Status	Speed
MD5	128 bits (32 hex chars)	Broken — collisions found in seconds	Fastest
SHA-1	160 bits (40 hex chars)	Broken — first collision published 2017	Fast
SHA-256	256 bits (64 hex chars)	Secure — current standard	Moderate
SHA-512	512 bits (128 hex chars)	Secure — longer output	Moderate (faster on 64-bit CPUs)