Hash code is always an integer

The hash code is a result of applying hash functions to an arbitrary key in a hash table.

hash_code = hash_function(some_key)

This value should always be an integer since it acts as an index like in the array. We use this hash code to retrieve a value from the table.

Depends on the hash function you’re using, it is possible for a hash function to produce the same hash code for two different keys, which happens all the time; this is called a collision.

So, how do you avoid collisions in a hash table? There are many ways. You can either implement a bettor hash functions, use multiple hash functions for a key (double hashing), use different types of hash table (e.g. chained hash table, open-addressed hash table, etc…)