Coding theory is a branch of information theory and computer science that deals with

the study of error detection, error correction, and efficient encoding and decoding of
information. It focuses on developing mathematical and algorithmic techniques to
ensure reliable and efficient communication over noisy channels.
The main goals of coding theory are:
Error Detection: Designing codes that can detect the presence of errors in a received
message. This allows the receiver to identify if any errors have occurred during
transmission.
Error Correction: Constructing codes that not only detect errors but also have the
capability to correct a certain number of errors. This enables the receiver to reconstruct
the original message even if some mistakes have occurred.
Efficiency: Develop coding schemes that achieve a good balance between the amount
of redundancy introduced (overhead) and the level of error detection/correction
capability. Efficient codes aim to minimize the additional information added to the
original message while still providing reliable communication.
Here is a diagram representing the process of sending and receiving
information/messages across a noisy channel:
Sender Noisy Channel Receiver
+------+ +---------------+ +------+
| |-------| |-------| |
| Data | | Errors | | Data |
| |-------| Introduced |-------| |
+------+ | | +------+
+---------------+

In this diagram, the sender initially has the data to be transmitted. The data is passed
through a noisy channel where errors can be introduced due to various factors (such as
noise, interference, or distortion). The receiver receives the transmitted data, which may
contain errors. The goal is to use coding techniques to ensure accurate and reliable
communication, despite the presence of errors.
Some examples of simple codes are:
Parity Code: In a parity code, a single bit is added to the original message to make the
total number of 1s either even (even parity) or odd (odd parity). This allows the receiver
to detect if an odd number of bit errors have occurred.
Repetition Code: Each bit of the original message is repeated multiple times in a
repetition code. For example, a (3,1) repetition code repeats each bit three times. This
redundancy helps in error detection and correction. If a majority of the repeated bits are
correct, the receiver can determine the original bit.
Hamming (4,7) Code: The Hamming code is an error-correcting code that adds
redundancy to the original message. The (4,7) Hamming code adds three extra bits to
every four bits of the original message, resulting in a seven-bit transmitted codeword.
These extra bits allow the receiver to not only detect single-bit errors but also correct
them.
Minimum distance is a fundamental concept in coding theory. It refers to the minimum
number of bit changes (substitutions, insertions, or deletions) required to transform one
valid codeword into another. The minimum distance determines the error detection and
error correction capabilities of a code. A code with a more considerable minimum
distance can detect and correct a greater number of errors.
Claude Shannon, often referred to as the "father of information theory," made significant
contributions to coding theory. In his groundbreaking paper "A Mathematical Theory of
Communication" published in 1948, Shannon introduced the concept of channel
capacity, which sets a limit on the maximum rate of error-free communication over a
noisy channel. He also formulated the fundamental limits of reliable communication in
the presence of noise and established the theoretical foundations of error-correcting
codes.
Richard Hamming, an American mathematician and computer scientist, made
significant contributions to error detection and error correction codes. He developed the
Hamming codes, including the Hamming (7,4) code mentioned earlier, which can both
detect and correct single-bit errors. Hamming's work laid the foundation for the
development of more advanced error-correcting codes used in modern communication
systems.