Target is a number not a hash. It is also calculated not based on previous block's hash or hashes but based on the time it took to mine the past 2016 blocks. Basically if we are at 2016 block height interval (height % 2016 == 0) we take the timestamp in the header of the last block and the block 2016 block-deep. If the difference is more than 2 weeks the difficulty is increased, otherwise decreased. It is best to not think about number of leading zeros at all when talking about difficulty and target because it has no significance. We compare the block's hash interpreted as a number with the target (as a number). If it were smaller than or equal to the target, that block has a valid proof of work. If you use number of zeros it can have exceptions: 3 > 2 (00000011 > 00000010) while they both have equal number of leading zeros in an 8-bit binary. If the target were 2 and block hash were 3, this block would be rejected. In the case of opposite meaning if target were 3 and block hash were 2, that block would be valid because [00000010 <= 00000011] is true. The target is included in each block's header as it is mined. In the 80-byte block header structure (the byte array starting from index 0) it is the bytes 72 to 75 (a 4 byte integer in little-endian order).
Target is a number not a hash. It is also calculated not based on previous block's hash or hashes but based on the time it took to mine the past 2016 blocks. Basically if we are at 2016 block height interval (height % 2016 == 0) we take the timestamp in the header of the last block and the block 2016 block-deep. If the difference is more than 2 weeks the difficulty is increased, otherwise decreased. It is best to not think about number of leading zeros at all when talking about difficulty and target because it has no significance. We compare the block's hash interpreted as a number with the target (as a number). If it were smaller than or equal to the target, that block has a valid proof of work. If you use number of zeros it can have exceptions: 3 > 2 (00000011 > 00000010) while they both have equal number of leading zeros in an 8-bit binary. If the target were 2 and block hash were 3, this block would be rejected. In the case of opposite meaning if target were 3 and block hash were 2, that block would be valid because [00000010 <= 00000011] is true. The target is included in each block's header as it is mined. In the 80-byte block header structure (the byte array starting from index 0) it is the bytes 72 to 75 (a 4 byte integer in little-endian order).

Target is a number not a hash. It is also calculated not based on previous block's hash or hashes but based on the time it took to mine the past 2016 blocks. Basically if we are at 2016 block height interval (height % 2016 == 0) we take the timestamp in the header of the last block and the block 2016 block-deep. If the difference is more than 2 weeks the difficulty is increased, otherwise decreased. It is best to not think about number of leading zeros at all when talking about difficulty and target because it has no significance. We compare the block's hash interpreted as a number with the target (as a number). If it were smaller than or equal to the target, that block has a valid proof of work. If you use number of zeros it can have exceptions: 3 > 2 (00000011 > 00000010) while they both have equal number of leading zeros in an 8-bit binary. If the target were 2 and block hash were 3, this block would be rejected. In the case of opposite meaning if target were 3 and block hash were 2, that block would be valid because [00000010 <= 00000011] is true. The target is included in each block's header as it is mined. In the 80-byte block header structure (the byte array starting from index 0) it is the bytes 72 to 75 (a 4 byte integer in little-endian order).

Target is a number not a hash. It is also calculated not based on previous block's hash or hashes but based on the time it took to mine the past 2016 blocks. Basically if we are at 2016 block height interval (height % 2016 == 0) we take the timestamp in the header of the last block and the block 2016 block-deep. If the difference is more than 2 weeks the difficulty is increased, otherwise decreased. It is best to not think about number of leading zeros at all when talking about difficulty and target because it has no significance. We compare the block's hash interpreted as a number with the target (as a number). If it were smaller than or equal to the target, that block has a valid proof of work. If you use number of zeros it can have exceptions: 3 > 2 (00000011 > 00000010) while they both have equal number of leading zeros in an 8-bit binary. If the target were 2 and block hash were 3, this block would be rejected. In the case of opposite meaning if target were 3 and block hash were 2, that block would be valid because [00000010 <= 00000011] is true. The target is included in each block's header as it is mined. In the 80-byte block header structure (the byte array starting from index 0) it is the bytes 72 to 75 (a 4 byte integer in little-endian order).