Hashing is an algorithm that calculates a string value output from data input that is usually larger than the Hash output.
None of the original data within the file or data you are hashing is contained in the output Hash, this is refereed to as a unidirectional process.
Hashing is commonly used for data comparison without having to read and compare the entire data bit for bit on two or more files. Torrent checksums are a great example of a reasonably accurate way, relative to the low CPU cost of checking that the original file you requested matches the file that you ultimately ended up with.
File Hashing:
Textual Hashing:
Note: These operations are fully client-side and no data is uploaded to our servers from this page.