SHA-256 vs SHA-512
SHA-256
Pros
- Industry standard for integrity checks
- Faster on 32-bit systems
- Sufficient for virtually all applications
- Powers HS256 JWT signing
Cons
- Smaller output than SHA-512
- Slightly less post-quantum margin
- Not required when SHA-512 compliance is unnecessary
SHA-512
Pros
- Larger 512-bit output
- Often faster on 64-bit CPUs
- Larger security margin
- Powers HS512 JWT signing
Cons
- Larger output size
- Overkill for most use cases
- Neither SHA variant is for password hashing
Verdict
Default to SHA-256 for data integrity, checksums, and API key hashing before database storage. It is the industry standard with excellent library support and performance. Use SHA-512 when compliance requires a larger hash output or when you need HS512 JWT signing. For passwords, use bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2 — never raw SHA. Both SHA-256 and SHA-512 remain secure for integrity purposes; MD5 and SHA-1 are broken and must not be used for security.
Related Tools
Deeper Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SHA-256 broken?
No. SHA-256 remains secure for all practical purposes. SHA-1 and MD5 are broken for security use.
Which for API key hashing?
SHA-256 is the standard choice for hashing API keys before database storage.