In PHP, how do I hash strings in a high-traffic application?

In a high-traffic PHP application, hashing strings efficiently and securely is crucial to protect sensitive data like passwords. Using robust hashing algorithms such as bcrypt, Argon2, or SHA-256 is recommended.

Here's an example of how to hash a string using PHP's built-in password hashing functions:


        <?php
        // String to hash
        $password = "securePassword123";
        
        // Hash the password using bcrypt
        $hashedPassword = password_hash($password, PASSWORD_BCRYPT);
        
        // Verify the password
        if (password_verify($password, $hashedPassword)) {
            echo "Password is valid!";
        } else {
            echo "Invalid password.";
        }
        ?>