UUID Generator

What are UUIDs?

UUID (Universally Unique Identifier), also known as GUID (Globally Unique Identifier), is a 128-bit identifier that is unique across both space and time. UUIDs are standardized by the Open Software Foundation (OSF) as part of the Distributed Computing Environment (DCE).

UUIDs are represented as 32 hexadecimal digits, displayed in 5 groups separated by hyphens, in the form 8-4-4-4-12 for a total of 36 characters (including hyphens).

UUID Versions Explained

There are several versions of UUIDs, each with different generation algorithms:

• UUID v1 (Time-based): Generated using the current timestamp and the MAC address of the computer. While this ensures uniqueness, it may expose information about when and where the UUID was created.
• UUID v4 (Random): Generated using random or pseudo-random numbers. This is the most common UUID version for most applications as it provides the highest level of privacy.
• UUID v5 (Name-based): Generated by hashing a namespace identifier and name. This version produces consistent results when the same namespace and name are used.

Key Features of Our UUID Generator

• Support for UUID versions 1, 4, and 5
• Batch generation to create multiple UUIDs at once
• Client-side generation (your data never leaves your browser)
• Copy to clipboard functionality
• Predefined namespaces for UUID v5

Common Use Cases

UUIDs are widely used in various applications, including:

• Database primary keys (especially in distributed systems)
• Session identifiers in web applications
• Transaction IDs in financial systems
• Object identifiers in distributed systems
• Device identifiers in IoT applications
• File names or content identifiers in file systems
• Cross-system correlation of related data

Choosing the Right UUID Version

When deciding which UUID version to use, consider:

• UUID v1: Best when you need sortable IDs that can be organized by creation time.
• UUID v4: Best for general use cases where privacy is important and when you need unpredictable IDs.
• UUID v5: Best when you need deterministic IDs that will be the same when generated from the same inputs.