Crypto Core Education

What is the SHA-256 hashing algorithm?

SHA-256 is a specific cryptographic hash function that converts any input into a fixed 256-bit output, written as a 64-character string. It is widely used in crypto because it is fast to compute, infeasible to reverse, and extremely unlikely to produce the same output for two different inputs. For example, Bitcoin uses SHA-256 to hash blocks and secure its proof-of-work mining process. Its consistency and resistance to collisions are why it became a standard building block across many blockchain systems.