What is the true difference between a dictionary and a hash table?

Question

I\'ve always used dictionaries. I write in Python.

Answer 1

A hash table always uses some function operating on a value to determine where a value will be stored. A Dictionary (as I believe you intend it) is a more general term, and simply indicates a lookup mechanism, which might be a hash table or might be implemented by a simpler structure which does not consider the value itself in determining its storage location.