What is a hash algorithm?

What will be an ideal response?

The most basic type of cryptographic algorithm is a one-way hash algorithm. A hash algorithm creates a unique "digital fingerprint" of a set of data and is commonly called hashing. This fingerprint, called a digest (sometimes called a message digest or hash), represents the contents. Although hashing is considered a cryptographic algorithm, its purpose is not to create ciphertext that can later be decrypted. Instead, hashing is "one-way" in that its contents cannot be used to reveal the original set of data. Hashing is used primarily for comparison purposes.