What is MD5?
MD5 is a widely-known hash function that produces a 128-bit (32 hex character) digest. It is fast and still used for non-security checksums and deduplication.
MD5 is cryptographically broken — practical collision attacks exist — so it must not be used for passwords, signatures, or any security-sensitive purpose. Use SHA-256 instead.
Key points
- Produces a 128-bit (32 hex character) digest.
- Very fast, which suits non-security checksums.
- Cryptographically broken — practical collisions exist.
- Must not be used for passwords or signatures; prefer SHA-256.
Example
md5("hello") = 5d41402abc4b2a76b9719d911017c592Common uses
- Non-security checksums and cache keys
- Detecting accidental file corruption
- Legacy systems (being phased out)
- Quick deduplication where collisions are not a security risk
Work with MD5 directly in your browser.
Open the Hash Generator