Encode string in Java

EncodeStringMain.java

package io.github.chrisscientist.encode;

import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
import java.security.MessageDigest;
import java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException;
import java.text.DateFormat;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Calendar;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;

/**
 * Encode string with SHA256 !
 * 
 * @see https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/security/MessageDigest.html
 * @see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5531455/how-to-hash-some-string-with-sha256-in-java
 * @see https://howtodoinjava.com/array/convert-byte-array-string-vice-versa/
 * @author Christopher
 */
public class EncodeStringMain {
    
    private static String ALGORITHM = "SHA-256";
    
    /**
     * @param args the command line arguments
     */
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            System.out.println("[" + getDate() + "] Encode a string with " + ALGORITHM);
            encodeWithSha256Tests();
        } catch (CloneNotSupportedException ex) {
            Logger.getLogger(EncodeSringMain.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
            ex.printStackTrace();
        } catch (NoSuchAlgorithmException ex) {
            Logger.getLogger(EncodeSringMain.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
    
    private static String getDate() {
        Date today = Calendar.getInstance().getTime();
        DateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("dd/MM/yyyy hh:mm");
        return dateFormat.format(today);
    }
    
    private static void encodeWithSha256Tests() throws CloneNotSupportedException, NoSuchAlgorithmException {
        // String to encode
        String strAlpha = "A thing!";
        String strBeta = "An other thing!";
        String inputTextAlpha = strAlpha;
        String inputTextBeta = strBeta;
        String inputTextAlphaCopy = strAlpha;
        // Encode inputTextAlpha
        byte[] itaEncoded = encodeString(inputTextAlpha);
        System.out.println(
                "Alpha   : '" + inputTextAlpha 
                + "' encoded in : " + (new String(itaEncoded, StandardCharsets.UTF_8)) + " {" + transformByteArray(itaEncoded) + "}"
        );
        // Encode inputTextBeta
        byte[] itbEncoded = encodeString(inputTextBeta);
        System.out.println(
                "Beta    : '" + inputTextBeta 
                + "' encoded in : " + (new String(itbEncoded, StandardCharsets.UTF_8)) + " {" + transformByteArray(itbEncoded) + "}"
        );
        // Encode inputTextAlpha
        byte[] itacpEncoded = encodeString(inputTextAlphaCopy);
        System.out.println(
                "Alpha cp : '" + inputTextAlphaCopy 
                + "' encoded in : " + (new String(itacpEncoded, StandardCharsets.UTF_8)) + " {" + transformByteArray(itacpEncoded) + "}"
        );
        // compare encode
        String shaIta = ALGORITHM + "(" + inputTextAlpha + ")";
        String shaItb = ALGORITHM + "(" + inputTextBeta + ")";
        String shaItacp = ALGORITHM + "(" + inputTextAlphaCopy + ")";
        // a compare at b
        if(Arrays.equals(itaEncoded, itbEncoded)) {
            System.out.println(shaIta + " == " + shaItb);
        } else {
            System.out.println(shaIta + " != " + shaItb);
        }
        // a cp compare at b
        if(Arrays.equals(itacpEncoded, itbEncoded)) {
            System.out.println(shaItacp + " == " + shaItb);
        } else {
            System.out.println(shaItacp + " != " + shaItb);
        }
        // a compare at a cp
        if(Arrays.equals(itaEncoded, itacpEncoded)) {
            System.out.println(shaIta + " == " + shaItacp);
        } else {
            System.out.println(shaIta + " != " + shaItacp);
        }
   }
    
    private static byte[] encodeString(String inputString) throws NoSuchAlgorithmException, CloneNotSupportedException {
        
        MessageDigest md = MessageDigest.getInstance(ALGORITHM);
        md.update(inputString.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8));
        MessageDigest mdCp = (MessageDigest) md.clone();
        byte[] outputEncoded = mdCp.digest();
        
        return outputEncoded;
    }
    
    private static String transformByteArray(byte[] anArray) {
        String output = "";
        for(byte nb : anArray) {
            if(!"".equals(output)) {
                output += ";";
            }
            output += String.valueOf((int)nb);
        }
        return output;
    }
    
}