Benchmark: createUUID vs getUniqueName

Script Preparation code:

function createUUID(){
    return 'xxxxxxxx-xxxx-4xxx-yxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx'.replace(/[xy]/g, function(c) {
        const array = new Uint8Array(1);
        window.crypto.getRandomValues(array);
        return (c === 'x' ? array[0] :(array[0]&0x3|0x8)).toString(16);
    });
}
function getUniqueName() {
  return (Date.now().toString(36) + Math.random().toString(36).substr(2, 5)).toUpperCase();
}

Tests:

getUniqueName
let i = 0; for (i; i<1000;i++) { getUniqueName() }
createUUID
let i = 0; for (i; i<1000;i++) { createUUID() }

Rendered benchmark preparation results:

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Previous results

Test case name	Result
getUniqueName
createUUID

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Latest run results:

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Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated one year ago):

LLMs can make mistakes. Check important info.

I'll break down the provided JSON and explain what's being tested, compared, and considered in the context of JavaScript microbenchmarks.

**Benchmark Definition**

The benchmark is designed to compare two approaches for generating unique identifiers: `createUUID` and `getUniqueName`. Both functions are intended to generate a unique string identifier.

**CreateUUID Function**

The `createUUID` function uses a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) to generate a unique identifier. The PRNG is based on the Windows Crypto API, which generates cryptographically secure random numbers. The function takes advantage of this by:

1. Generating an array of 8 bytes using `window.crypto.getRandomValues`.
2. Replacing two hexadecimal characters ('x' and 'y') with the corresponding byte values from the generated array.
3. Converting the resulting string to a hexadecimal representation.

**GetUniqueName Function**

The `getUniqueName` function uses a combination of Date.now() and Math.random() to generate a unique identifier:

1. It converts the current timestamp (in milliseconds) to a base-36 string using `Date.now().toString(36)`.
2. It adds a random 5-character substring generated from `Math.random().toString(36).substr(2, 5)` to the resulting string.
3. It converts the entire string to uppercase using the `toUpperCase()` method.

**Comparison and Considerations**

The two functions are compared in terms of execution speed:

* `createUUID` is generally faster because it uses a PRNG, which generates truly random numbers that are not easily predictable by humans or other algorithms.
* `getUniqueName`, on the other hand, relies on non-deterministic values (Date.now() and Math.random()) that can introduce variability in the generated identifiers.

However, `getUniqueName` may be more suitable for certain use cases where a simple, non-cryptographic identifier is sufficient. This approach also avoids potential issues with PRNGs used in `createUUID`, such as bias or predictability.

**Library Used**

Neither function uses any external libraries beyond the built-in JavaScript methods (`window.crypto.getRandomValues()`).

**Special JS Feature/Syntax**

The `createUUID` function leverages a non-standard feature of the Windows Crypto API, which is not widely supported in other browsers. However, most modern browsers, including Chrome 94 (the used browser), support this API.

**Other Alternatives**

Some alternative approaches for generating unique identifiers include:

* Using a cryptographically secure pseudo-random number generator (CSPRNG) like `crypto.getRandomValues()` in Node.js.
* Utilizing a library like [uuid](https://github.com/kevlinhenry/uuid) or [johnny-five's UUID generator](https://github.com/johnny-five/math-utils/tree/master/src/utils/UUIDGenerator).
* Employing a hash function, such as SHA-256, to generate an identifier. However, this approach can be slower and less secure than PRNGs.

These alternatives may offer varying trade-offs in terms of security, performance, and complexity.

Related benchmarks:

createUUID vs getUniqueName (version: 2)

Comparing performance of: getUniqueName vs createUUID

Created: 4 years ago by: Registered User

Jump to the latest result

getUniqueName

createUUID

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

No previous run results

Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated one year ago):