gofrs/uuid vs google/uuid which one should I use?

gofrs/uuid is more up-to-date with RFC-9562 and supports newer versions like v6 and v7, making it better for modern compliance. google/uuid is older but widely adopted; choose gofrs/uuid if you need the latest features or are migrating from satori/go.uuid.

How to generate a UUID v4 in Go with gofrs/uuid?

Import github.com/gofrs/uuid/v5 and use the uuid.NewV4() function, which returns a UUID and an error. Handle errors as shown in the README example, such as logging or panicking with uuid.Must() for package-level variables.

Is gofrs/uuid thread-safe for concurrent use?

Yes, the package is thread-safe because it relies on Go's standard library functions for randomness and time, which are designed for concurrency. However, always verify with specific version documentation, especially for custom implementations.

What's the difference between UUID version 6 and version 7?

Both are k-sortable, but v6 is field-compatible with v1, using timestamp and MAC address, while v7 uses a timestamp without MAC for better privacy and sortability. Refer to RFC-9562 for detailed specifications on their structures and use cases.

How to migrate from satori/go.uuid to gofrs/uuid?

Change the import path to github.com/gofrs/uuid/v5 and update API calls if needed; the APIs are similar, but test thoroughly as there might be subtle differences due to fixes for critical flaws in the original package.

Does gofrs/uuid support nil UUIDs or special values?

Yes, the package provides uuid.Nil for representing nil UUIDs and includes validation in parsing functions to ensure compliance with standards, but check the GoDoc for specific handling in edge cases.

uuid — Pure Go UUID Implementation

What is uuid?

gofrs/uuid is a pure Go implementation of Universally Unique Identifiers (UUIDs) compliant with RFC-9562. It provides reliable generation and parsing of UUIDs across versions 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, ensuring data uniqueness and interoperability in distributed systems.

Target Audience

Go developers building distributed systems, databases, or applications that require globally unique identifiers for entities like database records, session tokens, or message IDs.

Value Proposition

Developers choose this package for its strict RFC-9562 compliance, active maintenance as a community-driven fork, and lack of external dependencies, offering a correct and secure alternative to unmaintained UUID libraries in Go.

A UUID package for Go

Use Cases

Best For

Generating random UUIDs (version 4) for unique identifiers in Go applications.
Creating timestamp-based, k-sortable UUIDs (versions 6 and 7) for database indexing and chronological ordering.
Parsing UUIDs from strings in various formats with strict RFC-9562 validation.
Implementing custom UUID formats (version 8) for specialized use cases.
Ensuring interoperability in distributed systems by using standards-compliant UUID generation.
Migrating from the unmaintained github.com/satori/go.uuid package to a maintained alternative.

Not Ideal For

Projects stuck on Go versions older than 1.25, as the package strictly requires Go 1.25+ for compatibility.
Applications needing ultra-fast, bulk UUID generation with minimal overhead, where lighter or more optimized libraries might outperform.
Systems relying on non-RFC-compliant UUID formats not covered by the custom version 8 implementation.
Teams seeking a UUID package with built-in serialization for specific protocols like Protocol Buffers or ORM integrations out of the box.

Pros & Cons

Pros

RFC-9562 Compliance

Adheres strictly to the latest UUID standard, ensuring interoperability and correctness in distributed systems, as highlighted in the README's reference to RFC-9562.

Comprehensive Version Support

Supports UUID versions 1 through 8, including newer k-sortable versions 6 and 7 for time-ordered IDs, enabling flexible use cases from random generation to custom implementations.

Pure Go Implementation

Has no external dependencies, making integration straightforward and deployment easy in Go projects without additional package management overhead.

Active Community Maintenance

Forked from the unmaintained satori/go.uuid to address critical flaws, providing ongoing updates, security fixes, and community-driven support for long-term reliability.

Cons

Go Version Barrier

Requires Go 1.25 or later, which can exclude legacy projects or teams not yet upgraded, limiting adoption in older codebases.

Limited Advanced Features

Focuses on core UUID generation and parsing, lacking built-in support for advanced use cases like bulk generation, custom validation rules, or seamless integration with serialization libraries beyond basic string handling.

Complex Custom Implementation

Version 8 for custom UUIDs requires manual definition and implementation, which can be more effort-intensive compared to pre-defined versions, with less guidance in the README.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is uuid?

Target Audience

Go developers building distributed systems, databases, or applications that require globally unique identifiers for entities like database records, session tokens, or message IDs.

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

Generating random UUIDs (version 4) for unique identifiers in Go applications.
Creating timestamp-based, k-sortable UUIDs (versions 6 and 7) for database indexing and chronological ordering.
Parsing UUIDs from strings in various formats with strict RFC-9562 validation.
Implementing custom UUID formats (version 8) for specialized use cases.
Ensuring interoperability in distributed systems by using standards-compliant UUID generation.
Migrating from the unmaintained github.com/satori/go.uuid package to a maintained alternative.

Not Ideal For

Projects stuck on Go versions older than 1.25, as the package strictly requires Go 1.25+ for compatibility.
Applications needing ultra-fast, bulk UUID generation with minimal overhead, where lighter or more optimized libraries might outperform.
Systems relying on non-RFC-compliant UUID formats not covered by the custom version 8 implementation.
Teams seeking a UUID package with built-in serialization for specific protocols like Protocol Buffers or ORM integrations out of the box.

Pros & Cons

Pros

RFC-9562 Compliance

Adheres strictly to the latest UUID standard, ensuring interoperability and correctness in distributed systems, as highlighted in the README's reference to RFC-9562.

Comprehensive Version Support

Supports UUID versions 1 through 8, including newer k-sortable versions 6 and 7 for time-ordered IDs, enabling flexible use cases from random generation to custom implementations.

Pure Go Implementation

Has no external dependencies, making integration straightforward and deployment easy in Go projects without additional package management overhead.

Active Community Maintenance

Forked from the unmaintained satori/go.uuid to address critical flaws, providing ongoing updates, security fixes, and community-driven support for long-term reliability.

Cons

Go Version Barrier

Requires Go 1.25 or later, which can exclude legacy projects or teams not yet upgraded, limiting adoption in older codebases.

Limited Advanced Features

Complex Custom Implementation

Version 8 for custom UUIDs requires manual definition and implementation, which can be more effort-intensive compared to pre-defined versions, with less guidance in the README.

Frequently Asked Questions

uuid

What is uuid?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

uuid

What is uuid?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?