sha256_init(9)

✨ sha256_init(9) — the kernel crypto glow-up 💅

okay so bestie, we're in the Kernel API Manual and today's main character is sha256_init(9). she's a tiny function with a big job and honestly? iconic. 🎀

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🌸 NAME 🌸

sha256_init — Initialize a SHA-256 context for a new message ✨

like, she sets the stage. she preps the vibes. she does not hash your message for you — that's other functions' business, iykyk.

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

void sha256_init (struct sha256_ctx *ctx );

returns void, so no "did it work" little treat for you — she just does the thing 💅

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🍓 ARGUMENTS 🍓

• ctx — the context to initialize. yes queen, hand her your struct sha256_ctx and she'll get it ready for a brand new message 🫶

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

okay so real talk: if you don't need incremental computation, consider sha256 instead. like, sha256_init is for when you're doing the whole feed-it-in-pieces situation; if you've got the whole message in one go, sha256 is right there and she's built different (in a convenient way). no cap. ⭐

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🌈 CONTEXT 🌈

Any context. literally any. she's flexible like that 💀✨

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

first up, the kernel file that's the whole mothership: ./include/crypto/sha2.h 🌸

and then the entire extended friend group — every single one of them, no one gets left out 💜

• sha224 squad: struct sha224_ctx(9), sha224_init(9), sha224_update(9), sha224_final(9), sha224(9)
• hmac_sha224 squad: struct hmac_sha224_key(9), struct hmac_sha224_ctx(9), hmac_sha224_preparekey(9), hmac_sha224_init(9), hmac_sha224_init_usingrawkey(9), hmac_sha224_update(9), hmac_sha224_final(9), hmac_sha224(9), hmac_sha224_usingrawkey(9)
• sha256 squad: struct sha256_ctx(9), sha256_update(9), sha256_final(9), sha256(9), sha256_finup_2x(9), sha256_finup_2x_is_optimized(9)
• hmac_sha256 squad: struct hmac_sha256_key(9), struct hmac_sha256_ctx(9), hmac_sha256_preparekey(9), hmac_sha256_init(9), hmac_sha256_init_usingrawkey(9), hmac_sha256_update(9), hmac_sha256_final(9), hmac_sha256(9), hmac_sha256_usingrawkey(9)
• sha384 squad: struct sha384_ctx(9), sha384_init(9), sha384_update(9), sha384_final(9), sha384(9)
• hmac_sha384 squad: struct hmac_sha384_key(9), struct hmac_sha384_ctx(9), hmac_sha384_preparekey(9), hmac_sha384_init(9), hmac_sha384_init_usingrawkey(9), hmac_sha384_update(9), hmac_sha384_final(9), hmac_sha384(9), hmac_sha384_usingrawkey(9)
• sha512 squad: struct sha512_ctx(9), sha512_init(9), sha512_update(9), sha512_final(9), sha512(9)
• hmac_sha512 squad: struct hmac_sha512_key(9), struct hmac_sha512_ctx(9), hmac_sha512_preparekey(9), hmac_sha512_init(9), hmac_sha512_init_usingrawkey(9), hmac_sha512_update(9), hmac_sha512_final(9), hmac_sha512(9), hmac_sha512_usingrawkey(9)

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ngl, that's a LOT of siblings, but she loves them all equally 🫶

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and that's the page, bestie!! this one comes to you from ./include/crypto, dated October 2026 — mwah, slay, go hash something 💅💖✨