A hash is a string or number generated from a string of text. The resulting string or number is a fixed length, and will vary widely with small variations in input. The best hashing algorithms are designed so that it's impossible to turn a hash back into its original string.

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• SHA-2 consists of a set of 6 hashing algorithms, and is considered the strongest. SHA-256 or above is recommended for situations where security is vital. SHA-256 produces 32-byte hash value