Cryptographic Algorithm Comparison Matrix
Selecting the right hashing algorithm depends on your balance between execution speed, digest size, and collision resistance requirements:
| Algorithm | Output Bits | Hex Length | Collision Resistance | Speed | Primary Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD5 (RFC 1321) | 128 bits | 32 chars | Low (Vulnerable) | Very Fast | File Checksums, Deduplication, Cache Keys |
| SHA-1 (FIPS 180-1) | 160 bits | 40 chars | Low (Deprecated) | Fast | Legacy Git Repositories, File Hashes |
| SHA-256 (FIPS 180-4) | 256 bits | 64 chars | High (Cryptographically Secure) | Moderate | Digital Signatures, TLS/SSL, Blockchain |
| SHA-512 (SHA-2) | 512 bits | 128 chars | High (High Entropy) | Fast on 64-bit | High-Security Systems, Certificate Proofs |
| CRC32 (IEEE 802.3) | 32 bits | 8 chars | None (Non-Cryptographic) | Ultra Fast | Network Frame Error Detection, ZIP Checksums |
Never use MD5 or SHA-1 for user password storage or authentication tokens. For password hashing, use modern key-derivation functions such as Argon2id, bcrypt, or PBKDF2 with cryptographic salt.