Nano ID Generator
Generate nanoid-style unique identifiers directly in your browser. Nano IDs are shorter than UUIDs while providing comparable uniqueness — the default 21-character ID with the standard alphabet has roughly 126 bits of entropy, similar to UUID v4's 122 bits.
Customize the ID length (from 2 to 128 characters) and the alphabet (any set of characters you want). The default alphabet is URL-safe: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, and hyphen. You can generate single IDs or batch-generate up to 100 at once.
All generation uses the browser's crypto.getRandomValues API for cryptographically secure randomness. No external library is loaded — the algorithm is implemented in pure JavaScript right in the page.
By The Paper Room Editorial Team — Developer Tools
Frequently asked questions
How does this compare to UUID?▼
A 21-character Nano ID with the default 64-character alphabet has ~126 bits of entropy, comparable to UUID v4's 122 bits. The main advantage is size: 21 characters vs. 36 for a UUID, and no hyphens, making Nano IDs more URL-friendly.
Is the randomness cryptographically secure?▼
Yes. The generator uses crypto.getRandomValues, which provides cryptographically strong random numbers from the browser's built-in secure random number generator.
Can I use a custom alphabet?▼
Yes. You can specify any set of characters for the alphabet. Keep in mind that a smaller alphabet means less entropy per character, so you may want a longer ID to maintain the same collision resistance.
What length should I use?▼
The default of 21 characters provides excellent collision resistance for most applications. For very high-throughput systems generating millions of IDs, consider 24-32 characters. For short-lived or low-volume use cases, 10-16 characters may be sufficient.