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# hash_sha512
> This page explains how to use the hash_sha512 function in APL.
## Introduction
The `hash_sha512` function returns the SHA-512 hash of a scalar value as a 128-character hexadecimal string. Use it when your security policy or compliance requirements demand the strongest standard hash available, or when you need a longer digest than SHA-256 provides.
SHA-512 produces a 512-bit digest, making it the most collision-resistant of the SHA hash functions available in APL. It's well suited for high-security fingerprinting, long-term integrity verification, and compliance use cases. For most everyday hashing tasks, [`hash_sha256`](/apl/scalar-functions/hash-functions/hash-sha256) is sufficient.
## For users of other query languages
If you come from other query languages, this section explains how to adjust your existing queries to achieve the same results in APL.
Splunk provides the `sha512(X)` function that returns a 128-character hex string. APL's `hash_sha512` works the same way.
```sql Splunk example theme={null}
... | eval hashed = sha512(id)
```
```kusto APL equivalent theme={null}
['sample-http-logs']
| extend hashed = hash_sha512(id)
```
ANSI SQL has no standard SHA-512 function. PostgreSQL provides `encode(digest(value, 'sha512'), 'hex')`. APL's `hash_sha512` returns the same 128-character lowercase hex digest.
```sql SQL example theme={null}
SELECT encode(digest(id, 'sha512'), 'hex') AS hashed FROM sample_http_logs
```
```kusto APL equivalent theme={null}
['sample-http-logs']
| extend hashed = hash_sha512(id)
```
## Usage
### Syntax
```kusto theme={null}
hash_sha512(source)
```
### Parameters
| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| ------ | ------ | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| source | scalar | Yes | The value to hash. APL converts it to a string before hashing. |
### Returns
The SHA-512 hash of `source` as a 128-character lowercase hexadecimal string.
## Use case examples
Anonymize user IDs with a maximum-strength hash before publishing compliance-sensitive usage summaries.
**Query**
```kusto theme={null}
['sample-http-logs']
| extend hashed_id = hash_sha512(id)
| summarize request_count = count() by hashed_id
| top 5 by request_count
```
[Run in Playground](https://play.axiom.co/axiom-play-qf1k/query?initForm=%7B%22apl%22%3A%22%5B%27sample-http-logs%27%5D%20%7C%20extend%20hashed_id%20%3D%20hash_sha512%28id%29%20%7C%20summarize%20request_count%20%3D%20count%28%29%20by%20hashed_id%20%7C%20top%205%20by%20request_count%22%7D)
**Output**
| hashed\_id | request\_count |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- |
| 0878a61b503dd5a9fe9ea3545d6d3bd41c3b50a47f3594cb8bbab3e47558d68fc8fcc409cd0831e91afc4e609ef9da84e0696c50354ad86b25f2609efef6a834 | 128 |
| 95c6eacdd41170b129c3c287cfe088d4fafea34e371422b94eb78b9653a89d4132af33ef39dd6b3d80e18c33b21ae167ec9e9c2d820860689c647ffb725498c4 | 97 |
| cf83e1357eefb8bdf1542850d66d8007d620e4050b5715dc83f4a921d36ce9ce47d0d13c5d85f2b0ff8318d2877eec2f63b931bd47417a81a538327af927da3e | 85 |
The query uses SHA-512 to produce maximum-strength anonymized user keys before aggregating request counts.
Fingerprint span IDs with SHA-512 for use in high-security audit trails.
**Query**
```kusto theme={null}
['otel-demo-traces']
| extend hashed_span = hash_sha512(span_id)
| project _time, ['service.name'], hashed_span, duration
| take 10
```
[Run in Playground](https://play.axiom.co/axiom-play-qf1k/query?initForm=%7B%22apl%22%3A%22%5B%27otel-demo-traces%27%5D%20%7C%20extend%20hashed_span%20%3D%20hash_sha512%28span_id%29%20%7C%20project%20_time%2C%20%5B%27service.name%27%5D%2C%20hashed_span%2C%20duration%20%7C%20take%2010%22%7D)
**Output**
| \_time | service.name | hashed\_span | duration |
| ------------------- | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- |
| 2024-01-15 10:23:01 | frontend | 0878a61b503dd5a9fe9ea3545d6d3bd41c3b50a47f3594cb8bbab3e47558d68f... | 320ms |
| 2024-01-15 10:23:02 | checkout | 95c6eacdd41170b129c3c287cfe088d4fafea34e371422b94eb78b9653a89d41... | 875ms |
| 2024-01-15 10:23:03 | cart | cf83e1357eefb8bdf1542850d66d8007d620e4050b5715dc83f4a921d36ce9ce... | 140ms |
The query outputs SHA-512 fingerprints of span IDs for external audit systems that require maximum-length digests.
## List of related functions
* [hash\_sha256](/apl/scalar-functions/hash-functions/hash-sha256): Returns a 64-character SHA-256 hex digest. Use `hash_sha256` when SHA-256 strength is sufficient and you prefer shorter digests.
* [hash\_sha1](/apl/scalar-functions/hash-functions/hash-sha1): Returns a 40-character SHA-1 hex digest. SHA-1 is deprecated for security use; prefer `hash_sha512`.
* [hash\_md5](/apl/scalar-functions/hash-functions/hash-md5): Returns a 32-character MD5 hex digest. Not cryptographically safe; use `hash_sha512` for security contexts.
* [hash](/apl/scalar-functions/hash-functions/hash): Returns a signed 64-bit integer hash. Use `hash` when you need a compact numeric key rather than a hex string.