Hash Functions Explained: MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and When to Use Each

Hash functions like MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-256 are used for various tasks, but the choice of which to use depends on the specific use case. MD5 is cryptographically broken and should not be used for security-sensitive tasks, while SHA-1 is deprecated and should not be used for TLS certificates or code signing. SHA-256 is the current standard and should be used for most things, including TLS certificates, code signing, and file integrity verification. Always use SHA-256 for security-critical tasks.