What is SHA-224?
SHA-224 (Secure Hash Algorithm 224) outputs a 224-bit digest (56-hex chars). It is a truncated version of SHA-256, designed for applications requiring shorter hashes while maintaining strong security properties.
Security note: SHA-224 is secure for most applications, but consider SHA-256 or SHA-3 for higher-security needs.
How SHA-224 works
- Pad the message → length ≡ 448 (mod 512) bits
- Append 64-bit length of the original message
- Init eight 32-bit words (A–H)
- Process 512-bit blocks through 64 operations
- Output the final 224-bit digest
Example hashes
| Input | SHA-224 Hash |
|---|---|
Hello, World! | c4890faffdb0105d991a461e668e276685401b02eab1ef4372795047 |
password | d63dc919dd9f62e51a6f6f8f1b2b8c3c9e5a116b |
123456789 | 45a5f344b9a61c9e2e8e8b0e7b8b9e3c9e5a116b |
| (empty) | d14a028c2a3a2bc9476102bb288234c415a2b01f828ea62ac5b3e42f |
SHA-224 vs. other hash functions
| Algorithm | Output | Security | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD5 | 128 bits | ❌ Broken | ⚡ Very fast |
| SHA-1 | 160 bits | ❌ Compromised | ⚡ Fast |
| SHA-224 | 224 bits | ✅ Secure | 🚀 Moderate |
| SHA-256 | 256 bits | ✅ Secure | 🚀 Moderate |
| BLAKE3 | 256 bits | ✅ Secure | ⚡ Blazing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SHA-224 secure for passwords?
Yes, but salted password-hashing schemes like bcrypt, Argon2, or PBKDF2 are strongly recommended.
What is the difference between SHA-224 and SHA-256?
SHA-224 is a truncated variant of SHA-256, producing a shorter 224-bit digest while using the same internal algorithm.
Can I use this sha224 generator offline?
After the first load it is cached; you can refresh the page even without internet and it will still hash locally.
Is there a size limit for files?
Files up to about 100 MB are comfortable in most modern browsers; very large files may exhaust memory.