Hash values are data responses from hash functions that transform large sets of data into smaller ones. They are used as keys to save time when searching through large databases and can be used in encryption and decryption. Hash collisions occur when multiple keys link to the same hash value.
The term hash value refers to a piece of data, known as a value, given as a response to a hash function. Hash functions are the same thing as hash algorithms and perform the operation of transforming a large set of data into a smaller set that represents the complete set. This process is called hashing and is often used in computer databases. It allows your computer to create a short code or symbol that represents a large amount of data. When the computer needs to retrieve the large chunk of data from a large database, it simply enters the code or symbol and through the use of a hash function it finds the largest chunk of data.
Codes and symbols that represent shorter forms of data are known as keys. Using short keys saves time when searching through a large database. They are also used in some encryption and decryption functions. The user enters the key code and the hash function searches the database for the corresponding hash value. Each key connects with a certain hash value and should link the user to the relevant data information he is looking for.
An example of hash keys and values in everyday use would be a library computer that might use a hash function to link a person’s name to the books they have checked out. Each person in the database is assigned a key. For example, the customer’s name John Smith would function as a key code while it could receive a hash value of 01. This hash value links the key to a data storage point, often called a bucket. When John Smith checks out a book, the computer puts that book’s title into the corresponding virtual bucket.
To see which books John Smith has pulled, the librarian could enter his name, which is the key, and the hash function would link John Smith with his corresponding hash value of 01. He would then pull up all the data below 01 and display it. In this case, the data would be a list of books John Smith mined. Whether a library actually uses hash functions in this way depends on whether a different type of function can accomplish the task more easily, but this example demonstrates the basic concept of hash values.
Hash values are most often used in hash tables or hash maps which work like the library example explained above. They link keys to certain hash values and allow the user to search for information. This process can help scientists in searches, such as trying to find two similar strands of DNA. It can also search a large database to ensure the user is not about to enter duplicate content.
Problems arise when a hash collision occurs. This happens when more than one key links to the same hash value. While computer scientists try to avoid it, it can happen in a large database of information. As research in the field continues, people can come up with new ways to reduce the chance of hash collisions and increase the accuracy and utility of using hash functions.
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