An algorithm that maps data of variable length, such as the raw descriptors of path or circular fingerprints or InChIs, to a smaller fixed length vector.
Source:
PAC, 2016, 88, 239. 'Glossary of terms used in computational drug design, part II (IUPAC Recommendations 2015)' on page 248 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2012-1204)