Cryptographic hash functions convert input data into a fixed-size string of bytes. The same input always produces the same hash, but even a small change in input produces a completely different hash.

• MD5: 128-bit hash (deprecated for security use, provided for compatibility)
• SHA-1: 160-bit hash (deprecated for security use)
• SHA-256: 256-bit hash (commonly used)
• SHA-384: 384-bit hash
• SHA-512: 512-bit hash (highest security)

Note: MD5 and SHA-1 are considered cryptographically broken for security applications. Use SHA-256 or higher for security-sensitive purposes.