A cryptographic digest maps all bytes of a file to a fixed-length value. The same algorithm over identical bytes produces the same value; a changed byte should produce a different digest. The comparison still inherits the trustworthiness of the expected value.
Byte equality is the narrow result
If SHA-256 matches, the selected bytes and the bytes represented by the expected SHA-256 are treated as equal for this comparison. File names, extensions and timestamps do not enter the digest.
A checksum is not a malware scan
A malicious file can have a perfectly matching published hash. Trust requires an authentic publication channel and, where applicable, a verified digital signature and the publisher’s own validation steps.
Verify source and digest independently
A comparison is meaningful only when the expected digest came from a channel you already trust and names the exact file version you selected. Compare the complete hexadecimal value, algorithm label, file name, version and publisher instructions. A matching digest detects byte equality with that value; it does not scan the file, verify a signature or establish who published either input.