UUID and Unique ID Generation Guide — UUID, HashID, and Password Generation
This guide covers various methods for generating unique identifiers in applications and the appropriate use scenarios for each approach. Generate universally used UUID v4 with UUID Generator, convert integer IDs to short URL-safe hash strings with HashID Generator, and create strong random strings for API keys or secret tokens with Password Generator. Understanding each tool's output format and collision probability helps you choose the optimal ID strategy for database primary keys, public user identifiers, session tokens, and more.
How to Use
- 1 Generate UUID v4
Generate UUID v4 for database primary keys, unique identifiers in distributed systems, and more. With 128-bit random values, collision probability is extremely low, allowing safe use without separate duplicate checks.
- 2 Convert to URL-safe identifiers with HashID
Convert auto-incrementing integer IDs to short, readable hash strings. Obfuscate resource identifiers exposed in URLs to prevent sequential access and create user-friendly short links.
- 3 Generate API keys and secret tokens
Generate cryptographically strong random strings for API keys, secret tokens, invitation codes, and more. Configure length, character types, and ambiguous character exclusion options.
Related Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
In single-server environments, auto-incrementing integers are advantageous for index performance and storage space. In distributed systems or microservice environments, UUIDs are more suitable as they guarantee uniqueness without central coordination. UUID v7 also enables time-ordered sorting.
No. HashID is an obfuscation tool, not encryption. The original value can be recovered if the algorithm and salt are known. For security needs, use UUIDs or cryptographic random values instead.
Generally, 32-64 character alphanumeric combinations are recommended. 32 alphanumeric characters (upper+lower+digits) provide approximately 190 bits of entropy, which is sufficiently secure against brute-force attacks.