node js createHash

The createHash function in Node.js is used to create hash digests of data. Here is an explanation of each step involved in using the createHash function:

1. Import the crypto module: The crypto module is a built-in module in Node.js that provides cryptographic functionality. To use the createHash function, you need to import the crypto module using the require statement.

2. Create a hash object: After importing the crypto module, you can use the crypto.createHash(algorithm) method to create a hash object. The algorithm parameter specifies the hash algorithm to use, such as "md5", "sha256", "sha512", etc.

3. Update the hash object with data: Once the hash object is created, you can update it with data by calling the hash.update(data) method. The data parameter can be a string, a Buffer, or a TypedArray containing the data to be hashed.

4. Generate the hash digest: After updating the hash object with the desired data, you can generate the hash digest by calling the hash.digest(encoding) method. The encoding parameter specifies the encoding of the output, such as "hex", "base64", or "latin1".

5. Retrieve the hash digest: The hash.digest(encoding) method returns the computed hash digest as a string, based on the specified encoding. You can store this value in a variable or use it as needed.

That's it! These are the steps involved in using the createHash function in Node.js to create hash digests of data.