What is Secure Hash Algorithm 256-bit (SHA-256)?

SHA-256 refers to a cryptographic hash function that belongs to the SHA-2 (Secure Hash Algorithm 2) family. It generates a fixed-size 256-bit (32-byte) hash value from input data of arbitrary length. SHA-256 is widely used in cryptography and data integrity verification. It is known for its security and resistance to collision attacks, making it suitable for applications such as digital signatures, data authentication, and password hashing.