CRC16

CRC16, or Cyclic Redundancy Check 16, is a type of error-detecting code commonly used in digital networks and storage devices to detect accidental changes to raw data. It is a specific implementation of the CRC algorithm, which is a widely used method for detecting errors in digital data. The "16" in CRC16 refers to the 16-bit length of the checksum generated by the algorithm.

The CRC16 algorithm works by treating the data as a polynomial and dividing it by a predetermined divisor polynomial. The remainder of this division is the CRC checksum. This checksum is then appended to the original data, allowing the receiver to verify the data's integrity by performing the same division and comparing the remainder to the expected value.

CRC16 is often used in applications where a balance between error detection capability and computational efficiency is required. It is less computationally intensive than stronger error-correcting codes like CRC32, making it suitable for real-time applications. However, it is important to note that CRC16 does not correct errors; it only detects them. If an error is detected, the data must be retransmitted or corrected using other methods.

The CRC16 algorithm has several variations, each defined by a specific divisor polynomial. The most commonly used CRC16 polynomials are CRC-16-IBM, CRC-16-ANSI, and CRC-16-CCITT. Each of these variations has different error detection capabilities and is chosen based on the specific requirements of the application.