Requiem for a Hash Function, or: How I learned to love package maphash
4 days ago
- #performance optimization
- #hashing
- #Go programming
- The author reflects on a naive implementation of metric hashing in Prometheus' client metrics, initially using FNV for hashing key-value pairs.
- Discusses the importance of proper hash function design to avoid collisions and ensure efficiency, contrasting naive approaches with more robust solutions.
- Explores the use of prime numbers in hash functions for better distribution and collision resistance, inspired by Java's Effective Java.
- Demonstrates how to handle complex data types in hash functions, including handling optional fields, slices, and maps.
- Introduces Go's `package maphash` as a modern, idiomatic solution for hashing, highlighting its advantages over manual implementations.
- Concludes with the realization that manual hashing is often unnecessary in Go, thanks to built-in, efficient hashing mechanisms for comparable types.