---
title: SHA2_256
framework: cryptokit
role: symbol
role_heading: Type Alias
platforms: [iOS 26.0+, iPadOS 26.0+, Mac Catalyst 26.0+, macOS 26.0+, tvOS 26.0+, visionOS 26.0+, watchOS 26.0+]
path: cryptokit/sha2_256
---

# SHA2_256

An implementation of Secure Hashing Algorithm 2 (SHA-2) hashing with a 256-bit digest.

## Declaration

```swift
typealias SHA2_256 = SHA256
```

## Discussion

Discussion The SHA2_256 hash implements the HashFunction protocol for the specific case of SHA-2 hashing with a 256-bit digest (SHA256Digest). Larger digests take more space but are more secure. You can compute the digest by calling the static hash(data:) method once. Alternatively, if the data that you want to hash is too large to fit in memory, you can compute the digest iteratively by creating a new hash instance, calling the update(data:) method repeatedly with blocks of data, and then calling the finalize() method to get the result.