Hashing
Hashing is a fundamental computer science concept that involves converting input data of arbitrary size into a fixed-size string of characters, called a hash value or digest, using a mathematical algorithm known as a hash function. It is widely used for data integrity verification, password storage, and efficient data retrieval in data structures like hash tables. The process is deterministic, meaning the same input always produces the same hash, but it is designed to be one-way and collision-resistant in cryptographic applications.
Developers should learn hashing for implementing secure systems, such as storing passwords by hashing them with salts to prevent plaintext exposure, and for ensuring data integrity through checksums in file transfers or blockchain technology. It is essential for optimizing performance in data structures, enabling fast lookups in hash tables with average O(1) time complexity, and is used in caching, deduplication, and digital signatures in cybersecurity.