Question

What is a hash function?

Answer 1

A hash function is a mathematical function that takes an input (or "message") and returns a fixed-size string of bytes. It is commonly used in computer science and cryptography for various purposes such as data retrieval, data comparison, and data storage optimization. Hash functions are designed to be fast and efficient, ensuring that the output (hash value) is unique to the input data.

Answer 2

A hash function is a mathematical function that takes an input (or 'message') and returns a fixed-size string of bytes. The output, known as the hash value or hash code, is typically used in data structures such as hash tables to quickly locate data in a large dataset. Hash functions are also commonly used in cryptography to securely store passwords and digital signatures.