maybe-random-string

Returns a random or pseudorandom string.

npm i --save maybe-random-string

Usage

Generate a cryptographically random string:

import { maybeRandomString } from "maybe-random-string";

console.log(maybeRandomString()); // Prints e.g. "FPT2KAOyy19aVihGghr5m".

Generate a pseudorandom string in the same format, using package seedrandom:

import { maybeRandomString } from "maybe-random-string";
import seedrandom from "seedrandom";

const prng = seedrandom("42");
console.log(maybeRandomString({ prng })); // Prints "1hzgoFbbyPobjILzNNxbd" every time.

You can change the string's length and character set with the options object:

console.log(maybeRandomString({ length: 8, chars: "abcd" })); // Prints e.g. "cdabdbdc".

The defaults are similar to nanoid: length 21, alphanumeric chars, as much entropy as a UUIDv4.

Environments

This package is designed to work in both the browser and Node.js, including Node.js versions that predate Node's Web Crypto support. If you run into environment- or bundler-specific errors, please file an issue.

• Node.js build ("main" in package.json) uses require("crypto") and a CommonJS module.
• Browser build ("browser" and "module" in package.json) uses globalThis.crypto and an ESM module.
• Node.js ESM build? Sorry, use the CommonJS build. You should still be able to write import { maybeRandomString } from "maybe-random-string"; in a Node ESM project with Node v14.13+. (TypeScript and Node ESM fight over .js vs .mjs extensions; I'm not qualified to mediate.)