What is the most convenient hashing method to be used to hash passwords?

The most convenient hashing method to hash passwords in PHP is password_hash() with the PASSWORD_DEFAULT algorithm. This function provides a secure and convenient way to hash passwords using the recommended bcrypt algorithm. By using password_hash() with PASSWORD_DEFAULT, PHP will automatically use the best available algorithm for hashing passwords. The bcrypt algorithm is designed to be slow and computationally expensive, which makes it resistant to brute-force attacks. Additionally, password_hash() automatically generates and includes a unique salt with each hashed password, making it more secure against rainbow table attacks. It's important to note that the md5() and sha1() functions, while still available in PHP, are considered weak for password hashing and should not be used for this purpose. base64_encode() is not a hashing function but rather an encoding method used to convert binary data to a text format.