Generate Random Strings in JavaScript
Complete code tutorial with examples and best practices
[ Code Example - Quick Summary ]
Language: JavaScript
What: Generate random strings in JavaScript using <code>crypto.getRandomValues()</code> for cryptographically secure random values. Works in browsers and Node.js.
Try it: Use our interactive Strings generator or integrate this code into your JavaScript application.
Generate random strings in JavaScript using crypto.getRandomValues() for cryptographically secure random values. Works in browsers and Node.js.
Looking for other languages? Check our code examples in
PHP
,
Python
,
Java
,
C#
,
C++
,
Ruby
and
Go
or use our interactive web generator.
JavaScript Code Example
function generateRandomString(length = 16, customChars = null) {
const defaultChars = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789';
const chars = customChars || defaultChars;
const array = new Uint32Array(length);
crypto.getRandomValues(array);
let result = '';
for (let i = 0; i < length; i++) {
result += chars[array[i] % chars.length];
}
return result;
}
// Generate a 16-character alphanumeric string
const randomString = generateRandomString(16);
console.log(randomString); // Example: aB3xY7mN2pQ9zR5t
// Generate a 12-character hex string
const hexChars = '0123456789abcdef';
const hexString = generateRandomString(12, hexChars);
console.log(hexString); // Example: a3f7b2e9c4d1
// Generate a 10-character lowercase string
const lowercaseString = generateRandomString(10, 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz');
console.log(lowercaseString); // Example: xmkpqrstuv
[EXPLANATION]
This function uses crypto.getRandomValues() to generate cryptographically secure random numbers. The modulo operator ensures uniform distribution across the character set. Supports custom character sets for flexible string generation.
Expected Output
aB3xY7mN2pQ9zR5t a3f7b2e9c4d1 xmkpqrstuv
Common Use Cases
- Session ID generation for web apps
- Unique identifiers for DOM elements
- API token generation
- Cache busting query parameters
- Temporary file naming
- WebSocket connection IDs
Important Notes
-
crypto.getRandomValues()works in modern browsers -
Node.js 15.6+ supports
crypto.webcrypto -
For older Node.js, use
crypto.randomBytes() -
Consider using
base64urlencoding for URL-safe strings
Try Our Interactive Generator
Don't want to write code? Use our free web-based Strings generator with instant results.
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