What is Hash

Hashes are created when a hash function receives data and outputs a fixed-length code. Cryptographic hashes, which are employed on blockchains, function similarly to data fingerprints. Hash functions are deterministic in nature. Identical data inputs should result in matching codes, whilst diverse data sets should result in distinct codes. Even minor changes in the submitted data should cause the hash to alter in order to prevent the input from being guessed. Hashes are used for security and are typically prediction resistant, making reverse engineering nearly hard. A significant avalanche effect is produced by good cryptographic hash algorithms, minimizing any correlation between input and output. Hashes are also often computationally efficient, thus they do not slow down the network. For generating hashes, a number of algorithms are available. The SHA-256 algorithm is used by Bitcoin.

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