You need a unique identifier for a file where speed is secondary to a widely recognized format.
xxHash achieves over 10 GB/s on modern CPUs, often memory-bound, while MD5 tops out around 200–400 MB/s in optimized implementations. xxhash vs md5
You need a standard that is widely recognized by older software tools. xxHash vs
Use MD5 only if you don't care about attackers (checksums for downloads). Use xxHash only if you control the environment (internal databases). You need a unique identifier for a file
The statistical quality of xxHash is excellent. The only thing missing is the cryptographic "one-way" property (pre-image resistance).
Significantly slower because its design requires complex logical operations intended to prevent "pre-image" attacks. Even with hardware acceleration, it cannot keep pace with xxHash. 2. Security and Collisions