Cyclic Redundancy Check
Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) is an error-detecting code used in digital networks and storage devices to detect accidental changes to raw data. It works by generating a short, fixed-length check value (CRC code) based on the remainder of a polynomial division of the data, which is appended to the data for transmission or storage. Receivers can recompute the CRC and compare it to detect errors like corruption during transmission.
Developers should learn CRC when working with data integrity in communication protocols (e.g., Ethernet, Wi-Fi), storage systems (e.g., file systems, databases), or embedded systems where error detection is critical. It's used because it's computationally efficient, provides high error-detection capability for common bit errors, and is widely standardized in industries like networking and storage to ensure reliable data handling.