Consistent Hashing
A partitioning technique that maps both nodes and keys onto a hash space so membership changes move only a limited fraction of keys.
Distributed-Systems Context
Consistent hashing places both keys and nodes in the same hash space so adding or removing a node moves only a fraction of the key set. Hash rings and virtual nodes are used in caches, sharded stores, and distributed storage to reduce remapping and improve load distribution.
Distribution Boundary
Consistent hashing does not by itself solve replication, hotspots, consistency, or uneven key popularity. Virtual-node count and the workload distribution still determine balance.