SHA-384 Generator and Hash Lookup
Understanding SHA-384
SHA-384 belongs to the SHA-2 family. It produces a 384-bit digest, written as 96 hexadecimal characters. It is closely related to SHA-512 but uses different initial values and a shorter output.
Digest size384 bits
Common format96 hexadecimal characters
Generation and database lookup
The generator calculates SHA-384 for your input. The lookup then searches for an already indexed matching plaintext, so a valid digest is not guaranteed to return a result.
Security guidance
SHA-384 is suitable for integrity and digital-signature protocols when used correctly. By itself it is not a password-storage function because it is intentionally fast; use a salted password KDF instead.
Reproduce the calculation
These examples hash exactly the text “hello” without a trailing newline. A space or line break would change the digest.
Shell
printf %s 'hello' | openssl dgst -sha384PHP
echo hash('sha384', 'hello');JavaScript
const bytes = new TextEncoder().encode('hello');
const digest = await crypto.subtle.digest('SHA-384', bytes);FAQ
How many characters are in a SHA-384 hash?
A SHA-384 digest contains 96 hexadecimal characters, representing 384 bits.
Is SHA-384 just shortened SHA-512?
It uses the same broad construction as SHA-512, different initial values and a 384-bit output.
Why can a SHA-384 lookup fail?
The database can only return previously indexed plaintexts. Salted, random or uncommon values are usually absent.
Practical notes
SHA-384 belongs to the SHA-2 family and produces a 384-bit digest. It is used by some TLS profiles and digital-signature systems.
Length384 bits / 96 hex
ConstructionDerived from SHA-512
BatchUp to 20 digests
Frequently asked questions
Is SHA-384 simply truncated SHA-512?
It uses the SHA-512 structure with a distinct initial state and returns 384 bits.
Can it directly store a password?
No. A fast hash enables massive guessing; prefer Argon2id, scrypt or bcrypt.
Is hexadecimal case-sensitive?
Not for the value itself, but spaces and prefixes must be removed before comparison.
Reproducible examples
These commands hash the five UTF-8 bytes in “hello”, without adding a trailing newline.
Terminal
printf %s "hello" | openssl dgst -sha384PHP
hash('sha384', 'hello');JavaScript
const bytes = new TextEncoder().encode('hello');
const digest = await crypto.subtle.digest('SHA-384', bytes);