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So, we have a tag, but not the more general tag. A quick search shows over 200 questions that should potentially have such a tag.

What do you think? Is it a good tag? I can create tags, but wanted to get the thoughts of the community first.

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    \$\begingroup\$ codereview.stackexchange.com/search?q=Encryption+is%3Aquestion returns 125 results; your quick search includes answers - still, 125 is more questions than several other tags have. \$\endgroup\$
    – Mathieu Guindon
    Jun 23, 2014 at 22:10
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    \$\begingroup\$ Status-declined, but no mod comment. Explanation please? \$\endgroup\$
    – Pimgd
    Oct 9, 2014 at 9:00
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Pimgd even though I have an answer here arguing for the creation of the tag, I have been convinced that it's not useful because cryptography already covers it. As we grow, it may be worth revisiting, but for now I'm accepting rolfl's answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – RubberDuck
    Oct 9, 2014 at 10:22

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Uhm.... No

We already have ... is there a difference?

Maybe there's a need to retag some questions, and I can see a need to make encryption a synonym to cryptography.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Agreed. A synonym would be okay, at least if there are a large number of encryption questions. Otherwise, just [cryptography] will suffice. \$\endgroup\$
    – Jamal
    Jun 23, 2014 at 22:18
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    \$\begingroup\$ Encryption is a subset of cryptography. As is hashing. They are not the same. One is part of the other. Just throwing that out there. \$\endgroup\$
    – RubberDuck
    Jun 23, 2014 at 22:21
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I think would be a useful tag. There are currently 125 candidate questions for such a tag. (Thank you @Mat'sMug for the improved search.)

It was pointed out that we already have a cryptography tag, but encryption is just a subset of crytography; along with hashing. SO has a tag for it as well. I'm of the opinion that more specific tags lead to better categorization. One may want to follow questions about encryption, but not hashing and vice versa.

Quote from a relevant discussion on Meta SE:

The difference between cryptography and encryption on the other hand is entirely practical. Most questions that have to do only with encryption are correctly tagged with encryption and most questions that have to do with anything else are tagged cryptography. That's useful to me and both have enough followers to merit a split.

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    \$\begingroup\$ What next, a tag for decryption? \$\endgroup\$
    – 200_success
    Jun 24, 2014 at 2:35
  • \$\begingroup\$ Decryption should probably be a synonym of encryption to keep things clean. So, honestly, yeah. \$\endgroup\$
    – RubberDuck
    Jun 24, 2014 at 3:18
  • \$\begingroup\$ @200_success Relevant Meta question that was discuss for SO meta.stackexchange.com/questions/217994/… \$\endgroup\$
    – Marc-Andre
    Jun 25, 2014 at 16:35
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    \$\begingroup\$ Can you be an expert in encryption without being an expert in cryptography in general? Yes, I think you can. Can you be an expert in decryption without being an expert in encryption? Doesn't compute. \$\endgroup\$
    – otus
    Jun 25, 2014 at 19:33
  • \$\begingroup\$ I couldn't agree more. So maybe rather than a synonym for encrytpion & decryption, perhaps an [encryption-decryption] tag @otus? \$\endgroup\$
    – RubberDuck
    Jun 25, 2014 at 19:36
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    \$\begingroup\$ @ckuhn203, might be too verbose. Nothing wrong with having no decryption. There is such a thing as excess symmetry. \$\endgroup\$
    – otus
    Jun 25, 2014 at 19:44

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