Hashing is an algorithm that calculates a fixed-size bit string value from a file. A file basically contains blocks of data. Hashing transforms this data into a far shorter fixed-length value or key which represents the original string. The hash value can be considered the distilled summary of everything within that file.

A good hashing algorithm would exhibit a property called the avalanche effect, where the resulting hash output would change significantly or entirely even when a single bit or byte of data within a file is changed. A hash function that does not do this is considered to have poor randomization, which would be easy to break by hackers.

A hash is usually a hexadecimal string of several characters. Hashing is also a unidirectional process so you can never work backwards to get back the original data.

A hash is usually a hexadecimal string of several characters. Hashing is also a unidirectional process so you can never work backwards to get back the original data.