random-key

random-key is a JavaScript library for generating random keys and strings in both browser and Node.js environments. It utilizes the built-in cryptographic capabilities of the environment to ensure that the generated values are as secure as possible. If the cryptographic APIs are unavailable, it falls back to a non-secure random number generator.

Features

• Generate random strings of specified lengths using customizable character sets.
• Generate random digit strings (0-9).
• Generate random Base58 strings (improved human readability, no 0/O, I/l).
• Generate random Base62 strings (0-9, A-Z, a-z).
• Generate random Base64 strings.
• Generate random hexadecimal strings.
• Works seamlessly in both browser and Node.js environments.

Installation

You can install it through these commands with your favorite package manager:

deno add jsr:@alikia/random-key

npm i @alikia/random-key

yarn i @alikia/random-key

pnpm i @alikia/random-key

bun add @alikia/random-key

Usage

Importing the Library

You can import the library in your JavaScript or TypeScript project as follows:

import { generate, generateDigits, generateBase58, generateBase62, generateBase64, generateHex } from '@alikia/random-key';

Generating Random Strings

To generate a random string of a specified length using the default Base58 character set:

const randomString = await generate(16); // Generates a random string of length 16
console.log(randomString);

You can also specify a custom character set:

const customChars = 'ABCDEF';
const randomCustomString = await generate(10, customChars); // Generates a random string of length 10 using custom characters
console.log(randomCustomString);

Generating Random Digit Strings

To generate a random string consisting only of digits:

const randomDigits = await generateDigits(10); // Generates a random digit string of length 10
console.log(randomDigits);

Generating Random Hex Strings

To generate a random hexadecimal string:

const randomHex = await generateHex(16); // Generates a random hex string of length 16
console.log(randomHex);

Character Set Information

• Base58: Uses characters 123456789ABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijkmnopqrstuvwxyz (excludes 0, O, I, l for better readability)
• Base62: Uses characters 0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
• Base64: Standard Base64 encoding with padding
• Digits: Uses characters 0123456789
• Hex: Hexadecimal encoding (0-9, a-f)

Security

The library uses cryptographically secure random number generators:

• Browser: Uses window.crypto.getRandomValues() API
• Node.js: Uses Node.js crypto.randomBytes() module
• Fallback: If neither is available, falls back to Math.random() with a warning (not cryptographically secure)

For production use, ensure your environment supports the Crypto API for truly random values.

Browser Compatibility

The library checks if it is running in a browser environment and uses the browser's Crypto API for generating random values. If the Crypto API is not available, it falls back to Node.js's crypto module or uses Math.random() as a last resort, which is not cryptographically secure.

Version History

v2.0.0

• Added generateHex() function for hexadecimal string generation
• Added detailed character set information documentation
• Improved security documentation
• Removed deprecated generateBase30 function
• Updated default character set to Base58 for better human readability

v1.x

• Initial release with basic random string generation functions

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a pull request or open an issue for any enhancements or bug fixes.