Create random ids and numbers in base 16!
[](https://travis-ci.org/jessevdp/id-16)  [](http://standardjs.com/) # Intro Use the simple function to quickly generate a random base 16 ([hexadecimal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexadecimal)) number or create a generator and then use it to create loads of random numbers of the same length which are checked for collisions. This is useful for creating unique IDs and whatnot. # Basic usage Create a random hex number: ```js var id_16 = require('id-16') var random = id_16(10) // e.g. 63f499b6f4 ``` Create a generator and use it: ```js var id_16 = require('id-16') var id = id_16.generator(4) user_1 = id() // -> 63f4 user_2 = id() // -> b6ab ``` # Documentation All the current functions are documented. If you have any comments or suggestions please go [here](#suggestions). ## id_16([length]) This function creates a random number in base 16. **Returns**: A number in base 16. | param | type | description | | --- | --- | ---| | lenght | `Number` optional | The desired length of the return number. *(Default: 8)* | ## id_16.generator([length, expandby]) This function returns a function that creates random base 16 numbers. This generator checks the numbers for collisions. If too many collisions occur an error is thrown or (if `expandby` is defined) the length of the number is expanded. **returns**: The generator | param | type | description | | --- | --- | ---| | lenght | `Number` optional | The desired length of the return number. *(Default: 8)* | | expandby | `Number` optional | Expand the length of the return number by this number if too many collisions occur.| This generator also has some properties and methods: ### generator.remove(number) Removes a number from the list of numbers that have been created by this generator, allowing the number to be created again. | param | type | description | | --- | --- | ---| | number | `Number` | The number that you want to delete from the list of already 'used' numbers by **this** generator. | ### generator.list An array containing all the numbers that have been created by **this** generator. It's used to check for collisions by the generator itself but it is open to interact with. # creation of random numbers The program currently uses the following function to generate the numbers: ```js var random_number = Math.floor(Math.random() * 16) ``` This creates a number between 0 and 15 after which the number is then converted into base 16. This process is then repeated for the desired length of the number and the numbers are added onto a string. This string is what's returned by the function. ### Is it truly random? Many people state that `Math.random()` is not truly random. I'm not going to debate whether or not this is true however I am going to show you the results I got. I ran the function in a loop creating 1000 random numbers between 0 and 15, the following graph shows just how many times each number was returned by the function:
