No so much an issue as a question:

[theladyjaye]

In the source you mention:
Store algorithm$salt:costfactor$hash in the database

I was just curious as to why that particular pattern: $ : $

a pattern of $ $ $ would lend it all to a simple split() when pulling it back out of the database.

$ : $ seems like a case for partition().

Anyway, it made me curious so I thought I would ask.