Controlled Random Conversion Algorithms
Controlled random conversion algorithms convert an input into a seemingly random series, but, given the same input the response is the same. The two major kinds of conversion algorithms are:
Hashing algorithms distribute a series of inputs into different "buckets." Because the bucket response will always be the same, they are quite easy to retrieve because, given the same key, the same bucket number will be returned. The information can then be retrieved from the appropriate bucket.
Fingerprinting algorithms return a random compression, or "fingerprint," for a long input. This is primarily useful because, though comparing long strings is quite involved, comparing two fingerprints is fast, with only a small likelihood of fault. As a two-sided Monte Carlo problem, it is possible for two different strings to return the same fingerprint, resulting in a false ID.