hashing

In computing, the process used to convert a record, usually in a database, into a number that can be used to retrieve the record, or check its validity. The ‘hashing algorithm’, which may be based on manipulating the ASCII values of letters, will be devised so that different records give a useful range of results. Hashing is faster than storing things alphabetically, for example, where some areas may have lots of very similar records (for example, under c, s, or t) while others are little used (q, x, z).