UUID/GUID Validator

What Is a UUID/GUID?

A UUID (Universally Unique Identifier), also known as a GUID (Globally Unique Identifier) in Microsoft ecosystems, is a 128-bit identifier that is practically unique across all systems without requiring a central authority. UUIDs follow the format xxxxxxxx-xxxx-Mxxx-Nxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx, where M indicates the version and N indicates the variant. They are defined in RFC 4122.

UUID Versions

• Version 1: Based on timestamp and MAC address — unique but reveals machine identity.
• Version 2: DCE Security version — rarely used in practice.
• Version 3: Name-based using MD5 hashing — deterministic, same input always produces the same UUID.
• Version 4: Randomly generated — the most commonly used version. Provides strong uniqueness guarantees.
• Version 5: Name-based using SHA-1 hashing — deterministic, preferred over Version 3.

How to Use This Tool

1. Paste a UUID/GUID into the input field to validate its format and version.
2. Click Generate New to create a random Version 4 UUID.
3. Use the Bulk Generate section to create multiple UUIDs at once.

Common Use Cases

• Database Primary Keys: Use UUIDs as primary keys for distributed databases where auto-increment IDs would conflict.
• API Identifiers: Generate unique resource identifiers that are safe to expose in URLs.
• Session Tokens: Create unique session or correlation IDs for tracking requests across microservices.
• File Naming: Generate unique filenames to prevent collisions in file storage systems.

Frequently Asked Questions