SHA-1 vs SHA-256

SHA-1 is deprecated because it no longer offers adequate collision resistance. SHA-256 is the modern default for signatures, package integrity, and file verification.

Migration tips: start producing SHA-256 in parallel with SHA-1 for a transition period, update documentation and APIs, then drop SHA-1. For passwords, use a KDF like PBKDF2.

Related tools

Try: SHA-1, SHA-256, Verify SHA-256

FAQ

Why migrate from SHA-1 now?

Public collision demonstrations show SHA-1 is unsafe for signatures. Many platforms and browsers already reject SHA-1 certificates.

Is SHA-256 fast enough?

Yes for most applications. Hardware acceleration and optimized libraries make SHA-256 broadly performant.