Can you explain what hash collision means in the context of data hashing?

Hash collisions occur when two different inputs produce the same hash value. Since hash functions map a large set of possible data to a limited set of hash values of fixed length, collisions are inevitable.

For example, in a hash table, if two different keys have the same hash, collision resolution methods like chaining (linked lists) or open addressing are used.

Collisions are important because they can affect performance and security (e.g., in cryptography). A good hash function minimizes the probability of collisions.