diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 80ece1a46c..46d1ace3eb 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "anyhow"
-version = "1.0.48"
+version = "1.0.51"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "62e1f47f7dc0422027a4e370dd4548d4d66b26782e513e98dca1e689e058a80e"
+checksum = "8b26702f315f53b6071259e15dd9d64528213b44d61de1ec926eca7715d62203"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "arrayref"
@@ -200,9 +200,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "async-trait"
-version = "0.1.51"
+version = "0.1.52"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "44318e776df68115a881de9a8fd1b9e53368d7a4a5ce4cc48517da3393233a5e"
+checksum = "061a7acccaa286c011ddc30970520b98fa40e00c9d644633fb26b5fc63a265e3"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -282,6 +282,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "constant_time_eq",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "block-buffer"
+version = "0.10.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f1d36a02058e76b040de25a4464ba1c80935655595b661505c8b39b664828b95"
+dependencies = [
+ "generic-array 0.14.4",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "brotli"
 version = "3.3.2"
@@ -443,9 +452,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "chrono-tz"
-version = "0.6.0"
+version = "0.6.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "64c01c1c607d25c71bbaa67c113d6c6b36c434744b4fd66691d711b5b1bc0c8b"
+checksum = "58549f1842da3080ce63002102d5bc954c7bc843d4f47818e642abdc36253552"
 dependencies = [
  "chrono",
  "chrono-tz-build",
@@ -500,10 +509,19 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "5827cebf4670468b8772dd191856768aedcb1b0278a04f989f7766351917b9dc"
 
 [[package]]
-name = "crc32fast"
-version = "1.2.2"
+name = "cpufeatures"
+version = "0.2.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "3825b1e8580894917dc4468cb634a1b4e9745fddc854edad72d9c04644c0319f"
+checksum = "95059428f66df56b63431fdb4e1947ed2190586af5c5a8a8b71122bdf5a7f469"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "crc32fast"
+version = "1.3.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "738c290dfaea84fc1ca15ad9c168d083b05a714e1efddd8edaab678dc28d2836"
 dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
 ]
@@ -584,6 +602,15 @@ version = "0.2.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "7a81dae078cea95a014a339291cec439d2f232ebe854a9d672b796c6afafa9b7"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "crypto-common"
+version = "0.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "567569e659735adb39ff2d4c20600f7cd78be5471f8c58ab162bce3c03fdbc5f"
+dependencies = [
+ "generic-array 0.14.4",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cstr_core"
 version = "0.2.4"
@@ -666,6 +693,17 @@ version = "0.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "6184e33543162437515c2e2b48714794e37845ec9851711914eec9d308f6ebe8"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "digest"
+version = "0.10.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8549e6bfdecd113b7e221fe60b433087f6957387a20f8118ebca9b12af19143d"
+dependencies = [
+ "block-buffer",
+ "crypto-common",
+ "generic-array 0.14.4",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "dirs"
 version = "1.0.5"
@@ -772,9 +810,9 @@ checksum = "a357d28ed41a50f9c765dbfe56cbc04a64e53e5fc58ba79fbc34c10ef3df831f"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "encoding_rs"
-version = "0.8.29"
+version = "0.8.30"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "a74ea89a0a1b98f6332de42c95baff457ada66d1cb4030f9ff151b2041a1c746"
+checksum = "7896dc8abb250ffdda33912550faa54c88ec8b998dec0b2c55ab224921ce11df"
 dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
 ]
@@ -1020,9 +1058,9 @@ checksum = "78cc372d058dcf6d5ecd98510e7fbc9e5aec4d21de70f65fea8fecebcd881bd4"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "git2"
-version = "0.13.24"
+version = "0.13.25"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "845e007a28f1fcac035715988a234e8ec5458fd825b20a20c7dec74237ef341f"
+checksum = "f29229cc1b24c0e6062f6e742aa3e256492a5323365e5ed3413599f8a5eff7d6"
 dependencies = [
  "bitflags",
  "libc",
@@ -1173,9 +1211,9 @@ checksum = "616cde7c720bb2bb5824a224687d8f77bfd38922027f01d825cd7453be5099fb"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "itertools"
-version = "0.10.1"
+version = "0.10.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "69ddb889f9d0d08a67338271fa9b62996bc788c7796a5c18cf057420aaed5eaf"
+checksum = "a9a9d19fa1e79b6215ff29b9d6880b706147f16e9b1dbb1e4e5947b5b02bc5e3"
 dependencies = [
  "either",
 ]
@@ -1285,15 +1323,15 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "libc"
-version = "0.2.108"
+version = "0.2.109"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "8521a1b57e76b1ec69af7599e75e38e7b7fad6610f037db8c79b127201b5d119"
+checksum = "f98a04dce437184842841303488f70d0188c5f51437d2a834dc097eafa909a01"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "libgit2-sys"
-version = "0.12.25+1.3.0"
+version = "0.12.26+1.3.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "8f68169ef08d6519b2fe133ecc637408d933c0174b23b80bb2f79828966fbaab"
+checksum = "19e1c899248e606fbfe68dcb31d8b0176ebab833b103824af31bddf4b7457494"
 dependencies = [
  "cc",
  "libc",
@@ -1393,6 +1431,15 @@ version = "0.1.9"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "a3e378b66a060d48947b590737b30a1be76706c8dd7b8ba0f2fe3989c68a853f"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "md-5"
+version = "0.10.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e6a38fc55c8bbc10058782919516f88826e70320db6d206aebc49611d24216ae"
+dependencies = [
+ "digest",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "memchr"
 version = "2.4.1"
@@ -1410,9 +1457,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "memoffset"
-version = "0.6.4"
+version = "0.6.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "59accc507f1338036a0477ef61afdae33cde60840f4dfe481319ce3ad116ddf9"
+checksum = "5aa361d4faea93603064a027415f07bd8e1d5c88c9fbf68bf56a285428fd79ce"
 dependencies = [
  "autocfg",
 ]
@@ -1594,14 +1641,16 @@ name = "nu-command"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "Inflector",
+ "base64",
  "bytesize",
  "calamine",
  "chrono",
  "chrono-humanize",
- "chrono-tz 0.6.0",
+ "chrono-tz 0.6.1",
  "crossterm",
  "csv",
  "dialoguer",
+ "digest",
  "dtparse",
  "eml-parser",
  "glob",
@@ -1611,6 +1660,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "itertools",
  "lazy_static",
  "lscolors",
+ "md-5",
  "meval",
  "nu-ansi-term 0.39.0",
  "nu-engine",
@@ -1633,6 +1683,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_ini",
  "serde_urlencoded",
  "serde_yaml",
+ "sha2",
  "strip-ansi-escapes",
  "sysinfo",
  "terminal_size",
@@ -2013,9 +2064,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "parquet2"
-version = "0.8.0"
+version = "0.8.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "41051fae4c0fab9040e291b360c6c8037d09d482aa83e94e37f3d080a32a58c3"
+checksum = "57e98d7da0076cead49c49580cc5771dfe0ba8a93cadff9b47c1681a4a78e1f9"
 dependencies = [
  "async-stream",
  "bitpacking",
@@ -2106,9 +2157,9 @@ checksum = "8b870d8c151b6f2fb93e84a13146138f05d02ed11c7e7c54f8826aaaf7c9f184"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "pkg-config"
-version = "0.3.22"
+version = "0.3.23"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "12295df4f294471248581bc09bef3c38a5e46f1e36d6a37353621a0c6c357e1f"
+checksum = "d1a3ea4f0dd7f1f3e512cf97bf100819aa547f36a6eccac8dbaae839eb92363e"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "polars"
@@ -2262,9 +2313,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "proc-macro2"
-version = "1.0.32"
+version = "1.0.33"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "ba508cc11742c0dc5c1659771673afbab7a0efab23aa17e854cbab0837ed0b43"
+checksum = "fb37d2df5df740e582f28f8560cf425f52bb267d872fe58358eadb554909f07a"
 dependencies = [
  "unicode-xid",
 ]
@@ -2539,9 +2590,9 @@ checksum = "7ef03e0a2b150c7a90d01faf6254c9c48a41e95fb2a8c2ac1c6f0d2b9aefc342"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ryu"
-version = "1.0.5"
+version = "1.0.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "71d301d4193d031abdd79ff7e3dd721168a9572ef3fe51a1517aba235bd8f86e"
+checksum = "3c9613b5a66ab9ba26415184cfc41156594925a9cf3a2057e57f31ff145f6568"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "same-file"
@@ -2578,18 +2629,18 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde"
-version = "1.0.130"
+version = "1.0.131"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f12d06de37cf59146fbdecab66aa99f9fe4f78722e3607577a5375d66bd0c913"
+checksum = "b4ad69dfbd3e45369132cc64e6748c2d65cdfb001a2b1c232d128b4ad60561c1"
 dependencies = [
  "serde_derive",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_derive"
-version = "1.0.130"
+version = "1.0.131"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "d7bc1a1ab1961464eae040d96713baa5a724a8152c1222492465b54322ec508b"
+checksum = "b710a83c4e0dff6a3d511946b95274ad9ca9e5d3ae497b63fda866ac955358d2"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -2609,9 +2660,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_json"
-version = "1.0.71"
+version = "1.0.72"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "063bf466a64011ac24040a49009724ee60a57da1b437617ceb32e53ad61bfb19"
+checksum = "d0ffa0837f2dfa6fb90868c2b5468cad482e175f7dad97e7421951e663f2b527"
 dependencies = [
  "indexmap",
  "itoa",
@@ -2621,9 +2672,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_test"
-version = "1.0.130"
+version = "1.0.131"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "d82178225dbdeae2d5d190e8649287db6a3a32c6d24da22ae3146325aa353e4c"
+checksum = "dfaa01d46254ba300fb5920e781e9eae209daac68b68b26cdd678da7bd4fc5c4"
 dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
@@ -2653,10 +2704,21 @@ dependencies = [
 ]
 
 [[package]]
-name = "signal-hook"
-version = "0.3.10"
+name = "sha2"
+version = "0.10.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "9c98891d737e271a2954825ef19e46bd16bdb98e2746f2eec4f7a4ef7946efd1"
+checksum = "900d964dd36bb15bcf2f2b35694c072feab74969a54f2bbeec7a2d725d2bdcb6"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "cpufeatures",
+ "digest",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "signal-hook"
+version = "0.3.12"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c35dfd12afb7828318348b8c408383cf5071a086c1d4ab1c0f9840ec92dbb922"
 dependencies = [
  "libc",
  "signal-hook-registry",
@@ -2800,9 +2862,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "syn"
-version = "1.0.81"
+version = "1.0.82"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f2afee18b8beb5a596ecb4a2dce128c719b4ba399d34126b9e4396e3f9860966"
+checksum = "8daf5dd0bb60cbd4137b1b587d2fc0ae729bc07cf01cd70b36a1ed5ade3b9d59"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/Cargo.toml b/crates/nu-command/Cargo.toml
index 93368e57ad..2a9749c7fd 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/nu-command/Cargo.toml
@@ -57,8 +57,12 @@ lazy_static = "1.4.0"
 strip-ansi-escapes = "0.1.1"
 crossterm = "0.22.1"
 quick-xml = "0.22"
+digest = "0.10.0"
+md5 = { package = "md-5", version = "0.10.0" }
+sha2 = "0.10.0"
+base64 = "0.13.0"
 
-num = {version="0.4.0", optional=true}
+num = { version = "0.4.0", optional = true }
 
 [dependencies.polars]
 version = "0.18.0"
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/default_context.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/default_context.rs
index 0ecbff13f9..d83e106f3c 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/default_context.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/default_context.rs
@@ -9,10 +9,7 @@ pub fn create_default_context() -> EngineState {
         let mut working_set = StateWorkingSet::new(&engine_state);
 
         macro_rules! bind_command {
-            ( $command:expr ) => {
-                working_set.add_decl(Box::new($command));
-            };
-            ( $( $command:expr ),* ) => {
+            ( $( $command:expr ),* $(,)? ) => {
                 $( working_set.add_decl(Box::new($command)); )*
             };
         }
@@ -175,7 +172,11 @@ pub fn create_default_context() -> EngineState {
             Where,
             WithEnv,
             Wrap,
-            Zip
+            Zip,
+            // Hash
+            Hash,
+            HashMd5::default(),
+            HashSha256::default(),
         );
 
         #[cfg(feature = "plugin")]
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/hash/command.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/hash/command.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a0859dde2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/hash/command.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+use nu_engine::get_full_help;
+use nu_protocol::ast::Call;
+use nu_protocol::engine::{Command, EngineState, Stack};
+use nu_protocol::{Category, IntoPipelineData, PipelineData, ShellError, Signature, Value};
+
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct Hash;
+
+impl Command for Hash {
+    fn name(&self) -> &str {
+        "hash"
+    }
+
+    fn signature(&self) -> Signature {
+        Signature::build("hash").category(Category::Hash)
+    }
+
+    fn usage(&self) -> &str {
+        "Apply hash function."
+    }
+
+    fn run(
+        &self,
+        engine_state: &EngineState,
+        _stack: &mut Stack,
+        call: &Call,
+        _input: PipelineData,
+    ) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
+        Ok(Value::String {
+            val: get_full_help(&Self.signature(), &Self.examples(), engine_state),
+            span: call.head,
+        }
+        .into_pipeline_data())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/hash/generic_digest.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/hash/generic_digest.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ac7205f8ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/hash/generic_digest.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+use nu_engine::CallExt;
+use nu_protocol::ast::{Call, CellPath};
+use nu_protocol::engine::{Command, EngineState, Stack};
+use nu_protocol::{Example, PipelineData, ShellError, Signature, Span, SyntaxShape, Value};
+use std::marker::PhantomData;
+
+pub trait HashDigest: digest::Digest + Clone {
+    fn name() -> &'static str;
+    fn examples() -> Vec<Example>;
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct GenericDigest<D: HashDigest> {
+    name: String,
+    usage: String,
+    phantom: PhantomData<D>,
+}
+
+impl<D: HashDigest> Default for GenericDigest<D> {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            name: format!("hash {}", D::name()),
+            usage: format!("hash a value using the {} hash algorithm", D::name()),
+            phantom: PhantomData,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<D> Command for GenericDigest<D>
+where
+    D: HashDigest + Send + Sync + 'static,
+    digest::Output<D>: core::fmt::LowerHex,
+{
+    fn name(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.name
+    }
+
+    fn signature(&self) -> Signature {
+        Signature::build(self.name()).rest(
+            "rest",
+            SyntaxShape::CellPath,
+            format!("optionally {} hash data by cell path", D::name()),
+        )
+    }
+
+    fn usage(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.usage
+    }
+
+    fn examples(&self) -> Vec<Example> {
+        D::examples()
+    }
+
+    fn run(
+        &self,
+        engine_state: &EngineState,
+        stack: &mut Stack,
+        call: &Call,
+        input: PipelineData,
+    ) -> Result<nu_protocol::PipelineData, nu_protocol::ShellError> {
+        let cell_paths: Vec<CellPath> = call.rest(engine_state, stack, 0)?;
+
+        input.map(
+            move |v| {
+                if cell_paths.is_empty() {
+                    action::<D>(&v)
+                } else {
+                    let mut v = v;
+                    for path in &cell_paths {
+                        let ret = v
+                            .update_cell_path(&path.members, Box::new(move |old| action::<D>(old)));
+                        if let Err(error) = ret {
+                            return Value::Error { error };
+                        }
+                    }
+                    v
+                }
+            },
+            engine_state.ctrlc.clone(),
+        )
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn action<D>(input: &Value) -> Value
+where
+    D: HashDigest,
+    digest::Output<D>: core::fmt::LowerHex,
+{
+    let (bytes, span) = match input {
+        Value::String { val, span } => (val.as_bytes(), *span),
+        Value::Binary { val, span } => (val.as_slice(), *span),
+        other => {
+            return Value::Error {
+                error: ShellError::UnsupportedInput(
+                    format!(
+                        "Type `{}` is not supported for {} hashing input",
+                        other.get_type(),
+                        D::name()
+                    ),
+                    input.span().unwrap_or_else(|_| Span::unknown()),
+                ),
+            };
+        }
+    };
+
+    let val = format!("{:x}", D::digest(bytes));
+    Value::String { val, span }
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/hash/md5.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/hash/md5.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bfaa8f8e1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/hash/md5.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+use super::generic_digest::{GenericDigest, HashDigest};
+use ::md5::Md5;
+use nu_protocol::{Example, Span, Value};
+
+pub type HashMd5 = GenericDigest<Md5>;
+
+impl HashDigest for Md5 {
+    fn name() -> &'static str {
+        "md5"
+    }
+
+    fn examples() -> Vec<Example> {
+        vec![
+            Example {
+                description: "md5 encode a string",
+                example: "echo 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz' | hash md5",
+                result: Some(Value::String {
+                    val: "c3fcd3d76192e4007dfb496cca67e13b".to_owned(),
+                    span: Span::unknown(),
+                }),
+            },
+            Example {
+                description: "md5 encode a file",
+                example: "open ./nu_0_24_1_windows.zip | hash md5",
+                result: None,
+            },
+        ]
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::hash::generic_digest;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_examples() {
+        crate::test_examples(HashMd5::default())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hash_string() {
+        let binary = Value::String {
+            val: "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz".to_owned(),
+            span: Span::unknown(),
+        };
+        let expected = Value::String {
+            val: "c3fcd3d76192e4007dfb496cca67e13b".to_owned(),
+            span: Span::unknown(),
+        };
+        let actual = generic_digest::action::<Md5>(&binary);
+        assert_eq!(actual, expected);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hash_bytes() {
+        let binary = Value::Binary {
+            val: vec![0xC0, 0xFF, 0xEE],
+            span: Span::unknown(),
+        };
+        let expected = Value::String {
+            val: "5f80e231382769b0102b1164cf722d83".to_owned(),
+            span: Span::unknown(),
+        };
+        let actual = generic_digest::action::<Md5>(&binary);
+        assert_eq!(actual, expected);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/hash/mod.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/hash/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e3aca085fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/hash/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+mod command;
+mod generic_digest;
+mod md5;
+mod sha256;
+
+pub use self::command::Hash;
+pub use self::md5::HashMd5;
+pub use self::sha256::HashSha256;
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/hash/sha256.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/hash/sha256.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a63e90d8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/hash/sha256.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+use super::generic_digest::{GenericDigest, HashDigest};
+use ::sha2::Sha256;
+use nu_protocol::{Example, Span, Value};
+
+pub type HashSha256 = GenericDigest<Sha256>;
+
+impl HashDigest for Sha256 {
+    fn name() -> &'static str {
+        "sha256"
+    }
+
+    fn examples() -> Vec<Example> {
+        vec![
+            Example {
+                description: "sha256 encode a string",
+                example: "echo 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz' | hash sha256",
+                result: Some(Value::String {
+                    val: "71c480df93d6ae2f1efad1447c66c9525e316218cf51fc8d9ed832f2daf18b73"
+                        .to_owned(),
+                    span: Span::unknown(),
+                }),
+            },
+            Example {
+                description: "sha256 encode a file",
+                example: "open ./nu_0_24_1_windows.zip | hash sha256",
+                result: None,
+            },
+        ]
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::hash::generic_digest;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_examples() {
+        crate::test_examples(HashSha256::default())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hash_string() {
+        let binary = Value::String {
+            val: "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz".to_owned(),
+            span: Span::unknown(),
+        };
+        let expected = Value::String {
+            val: "71c480df93d6ae2f1efad1447c66c9525e316218cf51fc8d9ed832f2daf18b73".to_owned(),
+            span: Span::unknown(),
+        };
+        let actual = generic_digest::action::<Sha256>(&binary);
+        assert_eq!(actual, expected);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hash_bytes() {
+        let binary = Value::Binary {
+            val: vec![0xC0, 0xFF, 0xEE],
+            span: Span::unknown(),
+        };
+        let expected = Value::String {
+            val: "c47a10dc272b1221f0380a2ae0f7d7fa830b3e378f2f5309bbf13f61ad211913".to_owned(),
+            span: Span::unknown(),
+        };
+        let actual = generic_digest::action::<Sha256>(&binary);
+        assert_eq!(actual, expected);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/lib.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/lib.rs
index 14a97fe741..dc547aa894 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ mod experimental;
 mod filesystem;
 mod filters;
 mod formats;
+mod hash;
 mod math;
 mod network;
 mod platform;
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ pub use experimental::*;
 pub use filesystem::*;
 pub use filters::*;
 pub use formats::*;
+pub use hash::*;
 pub use math::*;
 pub use network::*;
 pub use platform::*;
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/signature.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/signature.rs
index 4a33766b5f..5121718dbf 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/signature.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/signature.rs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ pub enum Category {
     Strings,
     System,
     Viewers,
+    Hash,
     Custom(String),
 }
 
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for Category {
             Category::Strings => "strings",
             Category::System => "system",
             Category::Viewers => "viewers",
+            Category::Hash => "hash",
             Category::Custom(name) => name,
         };