diff --git a/src/dorkbox/bytes/HashExtensions.kt b/src/dorkbox/bytes/HashExtensions.kt
index 71db407..4cd2e04 100644
--- a/src/dorkbox/bytes/HashExtensions.kt
+++ b/src/dorkbox/bytes/HashExtensions.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2021 dorkbox, llc
+ * Copyright 2023 dorkbox, llc
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
  */
 package dorkbox.bytes
 
+import dorkbox.bytes.Hash.charToBytes16
+import java.awt.SystemColor.text
 import java.security.MessageDigest
 import java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException
 
@@ -25,11 +27,6 @@ object Hash {
      */
     const val version = BytesInfo.version
 
-    init {
-        // Add this project to the updates system, which verifies this class + UUID + version information
-        dorkbox.updates.Updates.add(Hash::class.java, "f176cecea06e48e1a96d59c08a6e98c3", BytesInfo.version)
-    }
-
     internal val digest1 = ThreadLocal.withInitial {
         try {
             return@withInitial MessageDigest.getInstance("SHA1")
@@ -46,6 +43,20 @@ object Hash {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * this saves the char array in UTF-16 format of bytes
+     */
+    fun charToBytes16(text: CharArray): ByteArray {
+        // NOTE: this saves the char array in UTF-16 format of bytes.
+        val bytes = ByteArray(text.size * 2)
+        for (i in text.indices) {
+            bytes[2 * i] = (text[i].code shr 8).toByte()
+            bytes[2 * i + 1] = text[i].code.toByte()
+        }
+        return bytes
+    }
+
+
     val sha1 get() = digest1.get()
     val sha256 get() = digest256.get()
 }
@@ -66,3 +77,91 @@ fun ByteArray.sha256(): ByteArray {
     digest.update(this)
     return digest.digest()
 }
+
+
+/**
+ * gets the SHA1 hash of the specified string, as UTF-16
+ */
+fun String.sha1(): ByteArray {
+    val charToBytes = this.toCharArray().charToBytes16()
+
+    val digest: MessageDigest = Hash.digest1.get()
+    val usernameHashBytes = ByteArray(digest.digestLength)
+    digest.update(charToBytes, 0, charToBytes.size)
+    digest.digest(usernameHashBytes)
+
+    return usernameHashBytes
+}
+
+/**
+ * gets the SHA256 hash of the specified string, as UTF-16
+ */
+fun String.sha256(): ByteArray {
+    val charToBytes = this.toCharArray().charToBytes16()
+
+    val digest: MessageDigest = Hash.digest256.get()
+    val usernameHashBytes = ByteArray(digest.digestLength)
+    digest.update(charToBytes, 0, charToBytes.size)
+    digest.digest(usernameHashBytes)
+
+    return usernameHashBytes
+}
+
+/**
+ * gets the SHA256 hash + SALT of the string, as UTF-16
+ */
+fun String.sha1WithSalt(saltBytes: ByteArray): ByteArray {
+    val charToBytes = this.toCharArray().charToBytes16()
+    val userNameWithSalt = charToBytes + saltBytes
+
+    val digest: MessageDigest = Hash.digest1.get()
+    val usernameHashBytes = ByteArray(digest.digestLength)
+    digest.update(userNameWithSalt, 0, userNameWithSalt.size)
+    digest.digest(usernameHashBytes)
+
+    return usernameHashBytes
+}
+
+/**
+ * gets the SHA256 hash + SALT of the string, as UTF-16
+ */
+fun String.sha256WithSalt(saltBytes: ByteArray): ByteArray {
+    val charToBytes = this.toCharArray().charToBytes16()
+    val userNameWithSalt = charToBytes + saltBytes
+
+    val digest: MessageDigest = Hash.digest256.get()
+    val usernameHashBytes = ByteArray(digest.digestLength)
+    digest.update(userNameWithSalt, 0, userNameWithSalt.size)
+    digest.digest(usernameHashBytes)
+
+    return usernameHashBytes
+}
+
+/**
+ * gets the SHA1 hash + SALT of the byte array
+ */
+fun ByteArray.sha1WithSalt(saltBytes: ByteArray): ByteArray {
+    val bytesWithSalt = this + saltBytes
+
+    val sha256: MessageDigest = Hash.digest1.get()
+    val usernameHashBytes = ByteArray(sha256.digestLength)
+    sha256.update(bytesWithSalt, 0, bytesWithSalt.size)
+    sha256.digest(usernameHashBytes)
+
+    return usernameHashBytes
+}
+
+/**
+ * gets the SHA256 hash + SALT of the byte array
+ */
+fun ByteArray.sha256WithSalt(saltBytes: ByteArray): ByteArray {
+    val bytesWithSalt = this + saltBytes
+
+    val sha256: MessageDigest = Hash.digest256.get()
+    val usernameHashBytes = ByteArray(sha256.digestLength)
+    sha256.update(bytesWithSalt, 0, bytesWithSalt.size)
+    sha256.digest(usernameHashBytes)
+
+    return usernameHashBytes
+}
+