| Cryptography is the use of secret codes to hide a message you're sending to another party. It is what Bitcoin's technology is based on. This has gone on since 600 BC. when did cryptography start? It takes a message and converts it to an unreadable format, called encryption. The receiver of the message who must know the formula, converts the scrambled message back into its original, called decryption. An example of a simple encryption is a shift. Say you shift each letter in a message to the next letter. A becomes B, B becomes C, C becomes D ... and Z becomes A. So the following message: "Hello world" gets sent as "Ifmmp xpsme" Hash Function Uses math to convert text to a unique fixed sized text. Read the article What is a hash function in Cryptography? A beginner's Guide Play with the SHA256 tool Private Keys Public Key Digital Signature |