UUID Collision & Uniqueness Guide
When using random identifiers, 'what if two are the same?' is a common question. For Version 4 UUIDs, the sheer number of possibilities is so vast that for all practical purposes, every ID you generate is globally unique.
When to use this solution:
Use this as a reference when designing distributed databases or microservices that rely on random ID generation.
Common Use Cases
1Step-by-Step Guide
Generate a test batch
Create several UUIDs to see the variety of random characters generated.
Audit the 13th character
Notice how the 13th character is always '4', indicating the version 4 random generation method.
Verify randomness
Observe that subsequent generations look completely unrelated, ensuring no predictable patterns.
Implement in your app
Use our library-grade generation logic knowing your IDs will remain unique across billions of records.
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Generate Safe IDsFrequently Asked Questions
What is the chance of a collision?
To have a 50% chance of a single collision, you would need to generate 1 billion UUIDs per second for about 85 years.
Why use v4 instead of v1?
v1 uses timestamps and MAC addresses, which can reveal sensitive info. v4 is purely random and better for privacy.