process tha t transform s input data of any size into a fixed-size string of characters, typically a sequence of numbers and letters. The output, known as a hash value or hash code, is generated by a hash function. Hashing is widely used in various fields of computer science, including data structures, cryptography, and data integrity.
Hash Functions
- mathematical function that takes an input (or “message”) and returns a fixed-size string of bytes.
- output is unique to each unique input, although different inputs can theoretically produce the same hash (this is known as a collision).
- good hash function is deterministic, fast to compute, and should minimize collisions.