UUID Generator

Generated UUIDs:

History

What are UUID/GUIDs?

A Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) or Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) is a 128-bit number that is globally unique, even across multiple computers or networks. It is typically represented as a sequence of 32 hexadecimal digits separated by hyphens.

Use Cases for UUIDs

UUIDs have a wide range of use cases, including:

  • As primary keys in databases to uniquely identify records
  • For generating random, unique identifiers in distributed systems
  • As identifiers in URL shorteners and tracking systems
  • For secure token generation and authentication
  • As session IDs and user identifiers in web applications

Different Versions of UUID

There are several versions of UUID, each with its own generation algorithm and characteristics:

  • Version 1 (Time-based): Based on the host's MAC address and the current timestamp. May reveal information about the host and the time of generation.
  • Version 2 (DCE Security): Deprecated and not widely used.
  • Version 3 (Name-based, MD5): Generated based on a namespace and a name. Deterministic but vulnerable to collisions.
  • Version 4 (Random): Completely random UUID with bits generated from a secure random number generator. Preferred for most use cases.
  • Version 5 (Name-based, SHA-1): Similar to Version 3 but uses SHA-1 instead of MD5 for better security.

Compliance and Security Disclaimers

The UUIDs generated by this tool follow RFC 4122 standards for UUIDs. However, they are not suitable for cryptographic purposes or security-critical applications. They are intended for general-purpose use cases such as unique identifiers in non-security-sensitive applications.

It is essential to understand that UUIDs generated in a client-side environment like this one are not entirely random and may not provide the same level of uniqueness as those generated in a server-side environment with access to a high-quality random number generator. Additionally, UUIDs generated here are not sent to our servers and are stored only on the user's browser, ensuring privacy and security.