# Introduction In this lab, we will learn about the `hashCode()` method in Java. Hashing is a technique used to generate a unique value for a given key. Hashing is used to implement Hash Tables and these data structures provide a faster and more efficient way to lookup data. The `hashCode()` method returns an integer value for a given key. We will learn how to use the `hashCode()` method and the importance of writing a strong `hashCode()` method.
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