diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0ee3b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+venv/
+__pycache__/
+*.pyc
diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 88fdab1..7c1dffb 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 from flask import Flask, request, jsonify, render_template, abort
-from passlib.hash import sha512_crypt, sha256_crypt, md5_crypt
-import secrets, os
+import secrets, crypt, os
 
 app = Flask(__name__, static_folder='static', template_folder='templates')
 
 SALT_CHARS = "./0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
 MIN_LEN = 16
+MIN_SALT_LEN = 8
 MAX_SALT_LEN = 16
 
-ALG_MAP = {
-    'sha512': sha512_crypt,
-    'sha256': sha256_crypt
+
+ALG_PREFIX = {
+    'sha512': '$6$',
+    'sha256': '$5$',
 }
 
 @app.route('/')
@@ -19,9 +20,11 @@ def index():
 
 @app.route('/gensalt')
 def gensalt():
-    salt = ''.join(secrets.choice(SALT_CHARS) for _ in range(MAX_SALT_LEN))
+    length = max(MIN_SALT_LEN, min(MAX_SALT_LEN, int(request.args.get('length', MIN_SALT_LEN))))
+    salt = ''.join(secrets.choice(SALT_CHARS) for _ in range(length))
     return jsonify({'salt': salt})
 
+
 @app.route('/hash', methods=['POST'])
 def do_hash():
     data = request.get_json() or {}
@@ -29,23 +32,25 @@ def do_hash():
     salt = data.get('salt', '')
     algorithm = data.get('algorithm', 'sha512')
 
+
     if not isinstance(password, str) or not isinstance(salt, str):
         abort(400, 'Invalid input')
     if len(password) < MIN_LEN:
         abort(400, f'Password must be at least {MIN_LEN} characters')
-    if len(salt) < MIN_LEN or len(salt) > MAX_SALT_LEN:
-        abort(400, f'Salt must be between {MIN_LEN} and {MAX_SALT_LEN} characters')
+    if len(salt) < MIN_SALT_LEN or len(salt) > MAX_SALT_LEN:
+        abort(400, f'Salt must be between {MIN_SALT_LEN} and {MAX_SALT_LEN} characters')
 
-    hash_class = ALG_MAP.get(algorithm)
-    if hash_class is None:
+    prefix = ALG_PREFIX.get(algorithm)
+    
+    if prefix is None:
         abort(400, 'Unsupported algorithm')
 
-    # truncate salt to MAX_SALT_LEN just in case
-    salt_to_use = salt[:MAX_SALT_LEN]
 
-    hashed = hash_class.using(salt=salt_to_use).hash(password)
+    full_salt = f"{prefix}{salt}"
+    hashed = crypt.crypt(password, full_salt)
     return jsonify({'hash': hashed})
 
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     host = os.environ.get('HOST', '127.0.0.1')
     port = int(os.environ.get('PORT', 4444))
diff --git a/style.css b/static/css/style.css
similarity index 88%
rename from style.css
rename to static/css/style.css
index cc5fa17..693d0fd 100644
--- a/style.css
+++ b/static/css/style.css
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ button {
     color: white
 }
 
+button:hover {
+   cursor: pointer;
+}
+
 .row {
     display: flex;
     gap: 8px
@@ -58,4 +62,4 @@ button {
     display: flex;
     gap: 8px;
     margin-top: 12px
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/main.js b/static/js/main.js
similarity index 70%
rename from main.js
rename to static/js/main.js
index 1d0b24f..3bbdaae 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/static/js/main.js
@@ -6,44 +6,51 @@ const hashBtn = document.getElementById('hashBtn');
 const result = document.getElementById('result');
 const clearBtn = document.getElementById('clearBtn');
 
-const MIN_LEN = 16;
+const MIN_PASS_LEN = 16;
+const MIN_SALT_LEN = 8;
+const MAX_SALT_LEN = 16;
 
 gensaltBtn.addEventListener('click', async () => {
-    const len = Math.max(MIN_LEN, MIN_LEN);
+    const len = MAX_SALT_LEN; // can be adjusted or user-defined
     const res = await fetch('/gensalt?length=' + len);
     if (!res.ok) { alert('Could not generate salt'); return; }
     const data = await res.json();
     salt.value = data.salt;
 });
 
-
 hashBtn.addEventListener('click', async () => {
     const pass = password.value || '';
     const s = salt.value || '';
     const alg = algorithm.value;
-    
-    if (pass.length < MIN_LEN) { alert('Password must be at least ' + MIN_LEN + ' characters'); return; }
-    
-    if (s.length < MIN_LEN) { alert('Salt must be at least ' + MIN_LEN + ' characters'); return; }
-    
+
+    if (pass.length < MIN_PASS_LEN) { 
+        alert('Password must be at least ' + MIN_PASS_LEN + ' characters');
+        return; 
+    }
+
+    if (s.length < MIN_SALT_LEN || s.length > MAX_SALT_LEN) { 
+        alert('Salt must be between ' + MIN_SALT_LEN + ' and ' + MAX_SALT_LEN + ' characters');
+        return; 
+    }
+
     const payload = { password: pass, salt: s, algorithm: alg };
     const res = await fetch('/hash', {
         method: 'POST', headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }, body: JSON.stringify(payload)
     });
-    
+
     if (!res.ok) {
         const txt = await res.text();
         alert('Error: ' + txt);
         return;
     }
-    
+
     const data = await res.json();
     result.value = data.hash;
 });
 
-
 clearBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
     password.value = '';
     salt.value = '';
     result.value = '';
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
+
diff --git a/index.html b/templates/index.html
similarity index 91%
rename from index.html
rename to templates/index.html
index aacfc39..600408c 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/templates/index.html
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
         <input id="password" type="password" placeholder="Enter password" minlength="16">
 
 
-        <label for="salt">Salt (maximum 16 characters)</label>
+        <label for="salt">Salt (between 8 and 16 characters)</label>
         <div class="row">
             <input id="salt" type="text" placeholder="Enter salt or generate one">
             <button id="gensaltBtn" type="button" class="small">Generate salt</button>
@@ -44,4 +44,4 @@
     <script src="/static/js/main.js"></script>
 </body>
 
-</html>
\ No newline at end of file
+</html>