Hashing

Understanding cryptographic hash functions

Cryptographic hash functions are key tools in the development of blockchain and smart contracts. These functions accept arbitrary-sized input data and generate a fixed-size hash value using an encryption technique. This hash value, which is frequently represented as a hexadecimal string, performs several important functions in blockchain technology:

• Data integrity: Hashes are used to validate the data’s integrity. Even tiny changes in the input data result in a radically altered hash value, making any tampering or corruption easy to detect.

• Cryptographic signatures: Hashes are an important part of digital signatures. When a user signs a message, they’re effectively signing the message’s hash. Verifying the ...