What is the primary difference between SHA-1 and SHA-256/384/512?

SHA-1: It produces a 160-bit hash value and is considered less secure due to vulnerabilities discovered in its design (e.g., collision attacks). As a result, its use is generally discouraged for security-critical applications. SHA-256/384/512: These are part of the SHA-2 family and produce 256-bit, 384-bit, and 512-bit hash values, respectively. They offer greater security because their longer hash lengths make them more resistant to attacks like collisions (where two different inputs produce the same hash).