root@generate-random:~/api-keys/go$ _

Generate API Keys in Go

Complete code tutorial with examples and best practices

[ Code Example - Quick Summary ]

Language: Go

What: Generate cryptographically secure API keys in Go using <code>crypto/rand</code> for microservices and backend systems. Idiomatic Go implementation with proper error handling.

Try it: Use our interactive Api-keys generator or integrate this code into your Go application.

Generate cryptographically secure API keys in Go using crypto/rand for microservices and backend systems. Idiomatic Go implementation with proper error handling. Looking for other languages? Check our code examples in PHP , JavaScript , Python , Java , C# , C++ and Ruby or use our interactive web generator.

Go Code Example

package main

import (
    "crypto/rand"
    "encoding/base64"
    "encoding/hex"
    "fmt"
)

// GenerateAPIKey generates a hexadecimal API key
func GenerateAPIKey(length int) (string, error) {
    bytes := make([]byte, length)
    if _, err := rand.Read(bytes); err != nil {
        return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to generate API key: %w", err)
    }
    return hex.EncodeToString(bytes), nil
}

// GenerateAPIKeyBase64 generates a base64 URL-safe API key
func GenerateAPIKeyBase64(length int) (string, error) {
    bytes := make([]byte, length)
    if _, err := rand.Read(bytes); err != nil {
        return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to generate API key: %w", err)
    }
    return base64.URLEncoding.WithPadding(base64.NoPadding).EncodeToString(bytes), nil
}

func main() {
    // Generate 256-bit (32 byte) API key
    apiKey, err := GenerateAPIKey(32)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    fmt.Println("Hex:", apiKey)
    // Output: "a7f3e9c2d8b4f1a6e5c9d7b3f8a2e6c4d9b5f7a3e8c6d2b9f4a7e1c5d8b3f6a9"

    // Base64 URL-safe encoding
    apiKeyBase64, err := GenerateAPIKeyBase64(32)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    fmt.Println("Base64:", apiKeyBase64)
    // Output: "p3_pwr2L8RpuXJbT-IouaztX86jG0rmU9KfhxdizNpo"
}

[EXPLANATION]

Go's crypto/rand package provides cryptographically secure random byte generation using the operating system's CSPRNG. The implementation uses proper error handling with wrapped errors. base64.URLEncoding.WithPadding(base64.NoPadding) creates URL-safe encoding without padding characters, which is ideal for API keys used in URLs.

Expected Output

Hexadecimal: a7f3e9c2d8b4f1a6e5c9d7b3f8a2e6c4d9b5f7a3e8c6d2b9f4a7e1c5d8b3f6a9
Base64 URL-safe: p3_pwr2L8RpuXJbT-IouaztX86jG0rmU9KfhxdizNpo
With prefix: sk-live-p3_pwr2L8RpuXJbT-IouaztX86jG0rmU9KfhxdizNpo