PHP hash() Function: Generating Hash Values (Message Digests)

The hash() function in PHP returns a hash value (message digest) for a given string using a specified algorithm such as md5, sha256, or ripemd160. It can output either a lowercase hexadecimal string or raw binary data.

Parameters

algo : The hash algorithm to use (e.g., "md5", "sha256", "haval160,4").

data : The message to be hashed.

raw_output : Set to true to return raw binary data; set to false (default) to return a lowercase hexadecimal string.

Return Value

If raw_output is true, the function returns the raw binary representation of the digest; otherwise it returns the digest as a lowercase hexadecimal string.

Example

<?php
echo hash('ripemd160', 'The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.');
?>

Output

ec457d0a974c48d5685a7efa03d137dc8bbde7e3