github.com/lithammer/go-jump-consistent-hash (go): Package jump implements the "jump consistent hash" algorithm.  Example  Reference C++ implementation[1]  Jump consistent hash works by computing when its output changes as the number of buckets increases. Let ch(key, num_buckets) be the consistent hash for the key when there are num_buckets buckets. Clearly, for any key, k, ch(k, 1) is 0, since there is only the one bucket. In order for the consistent hash function to balanced, ch(k, 2) will have to stay at 0 for half the keys, k, while it will have to jump to 1 for the other half. In general, ch(k, n+1) has to stay the same as ch(k, n) for n/(n+1) of the keys, and jump to n for the other 1/(n+1) of the keys.  Here are examples of the consistent hash values for three keys, k1, k2, and k3, as num_buckets goes up:  A linear time algorithm can be defined by using the formula for the probability of ch(key, j) jumping when j increases. It essentially walks across a row of this table. Given a key and number of buckets, the algorithm considers each successive bucket, j, from 1 to num_buckets­1, and uses ch(key, j) to compute ch(key, j+1). At each bucket, j, it decides whether to keep ch(k, j+1) the same as ch(k, j), or to jump its value to j. In order to jump for the right fraction of keys, it uses a pseudo­random number generator with the key as its seed. To jump for 1/(j+1) of keys, it generates a uniform random number between 0.0 and 1.0, and jumps if the value is less than 1/(j+1). At the end of the loop, it has computed ch(k, num_buckets), which is the desired answer. In code:  We can convert this to a logarithmic time algorithm by exploiting that ch(key, j+1) is usually unchanged as j increases, only jumping occasionally. The algorithm will only compute the destinations of jumps ­­ the j’s for which ch(key, j+1) ≠ ch(key, j). Also notice that for these j’s, ch(key, j+1) = j. To develop the algorithm, we will treat ch(key, j) as a random variable, so that we can use the notation for random variables to analyze the fractions of keys for which various propositions are true. That will lead us to a closed form expression for a pseudo­random variable whose value gives the destination of the next jump.  Suppose that the algorithm is tracking the bucket numbers of the jumps for a particular key, k. And suppose that b was the destination of the last jump, that is, ch(k, b) ≠ ch(k, b+1), and ch(k, b+1) = b. Now, we want to find the next jump, the smallest j such that ch(k, j+1) ≠ ch(k, b+1), or equivalently, the largest j such that ch(k, j) = ch(k, b+1). We will make a pseudo­random variable whose value is that j. To get a probabilistic constraint on j, note that for any bucket number, i, we have j ≥ i if and only if the consistent hash hasn’t changed by i, that is, if and only if ch(k, i) = ch(k, b+1). Hence, the distribution of j must satisfy  Fortunately, it is easy to compute that probability. Notice that since P( ch(k, 10) = ch(k, 11) ) is 10/11, and P( ch(k, 11) = ch(k, 12) ) is 11/12, then P( ch(k, 10) = ch(k, 12) ) is 10/11 * 11/12 = 10/12. In general, if n ≥ m, P( ch(k, n) = ch(k, m) ) = m / n. Thus for any i > b,  Now, we generate a pseudo­random variable, r, (depending on k and j) that is uniformly distributed between 0 and 1. Since we want P(j ≥ i) = (b+1) / i, we set P(j ≥ i) iff r ≤ (b+1) / i. Solving the inequality for i yields P(j ≥ i) iff i ≤ (b+1) / r. Since i is a lower bound on j, j will equal the largest i for which P(j ≥ i), thus the largest i satisfying i ≤ (b+1) / r. Thus, by the definition of the floor function, j = floor((b+1) / r).  Using this formula, jump consistent hash finds ch(key, num_buckets) by choosing successive jump destinations until it finds a position at or past num_buckets. It then knows that the previous jump destination is the answer.  To turn this into the actual code of figure 1, we need to implement random. We want it to be fast, and yet to also to have well distributed successive values. We use a 64­bit linear congruential generator; the particular multiplier we use produces random numbers that are especially well distributed in higher dimensions (i.e., when successive random values are used to form tuples). We use the key as the seed. (For keys that don’t fit into 64 bits, a 64 bit hash of the key should be used.) The congruential generator updates the seed on each iteration, and the code derives a double from the current seed. Tests show that this generator has good speed and distribution.  It is worth noting that unlike the algorithm of Karger et al., jump consistent hash does not require the key to be hashed if it is already an integer. This is because jump consistent hash has an embedded pseudorandom number generator that essentially rehashes the key on every iteration. The hash is not especially good (i.e., linear congruential), but since it is applied repeatedly, additional hashing of the input key is not necessary.  [1] http://arxiv.org/pdf/1406.2294v1.pdf
Keywords: algorithm|consistent-hash-algorithm|go|jump-consistent-hash