ULID (Universally Unique Lexicographically Sortable Identifier) is a 26-character string format that combines a timestamp with random data to create identifiers that are both unique and sortable by creation time. ULIDs are an alternative to UUIDs with better sorting capabilities.

Why use ULIDs instead of UUIDs?

ULIDs offer several advantages over UUIDs: they are lexicographically sortable by generation time, they use a more compact representation (26 characters vs 36 for UUIDs), they're case-insensitive, and they avoid problematic characters like hyphens.

How do I convert a UUID to a ULID?

You can convert a UUID to a ULID using our UUID Converter tool. Simply paste your UUID into the input field and click Convert. The tool supports UUID v1, v4, v7, and any hex string, converting them losslessly to ULID format and back.

Can I decode a ULID to see its timestamp?

Yes, you can decode a ULID using our ULID Decoder tool. It will show you the timestamp in various formats (Unix timestamp, ISO string, human-readable date) and the random component in different representations.

Are ULIDs suitable for database primary keys?

Yes, ULIDs are excellent for database primary keys. They're sortable by creation time which improves database performance, they're URL-safe, and they can be generated without a central coordinator, making them ideal for distributed systems.

What is NanoID and when should I use it?

NanoID is a tiny, secure, URL-friendly unique string ID generator. It's smaller and faster than UUID and is ideal for generating short unique IDs for URLs, session tokens, or any situation where a compact random identifier is needed. Unlike ULID, NanoID is not time-sortable.

What is a Snowflake ID?

Snowflake ID is a 64-bit unique identifier format originally developed by Twitter. It encodes a timestamp, datacenter ID, machine ID, and sequence number. Snowflake IDs are sortable by time, extremely fast to generate, and widely used in distributed systems like Twitter, Discord, and Instagram.

How do I decode a JWT token?

Paste your JWT token into our JWT Decoder tool to instantly see the decoded header, payload, and signature. The tool shows all claims including expiry time (exp), issued-at (iat), and custom claims. No data is sent to any server - decoding is done entirely in your browser.

What is CUID and CUID2?

CUID (Collision-resistant Unique Identifier) is designed for horizontal scalability and sequential IDs for databases and distributed systems. CUID2 is the improved next generation with better security and randomness properties. Both are excellent alternatives to UUID for Node.js applications.

Prefix API Key Generator & Validator

Create custom-prefixed API tokens using secure unbiased random entropy, embedded with a Luhn Mod N or CRC32 checksum for rapid database bypass checking.

Prefix API Key Generator & Validator

Create and verify secure API Keys with custom prefixes and mathematical checksums (similar to Stripe & GitHub).

Key Prefix (e.g. sk_live, ghp)

Entropy Length (Random Bytes)32

Base Encoding / Alphabet

Checksum Algorithm

Generated API Key

Generating...

Why Use Prefixed API Keys with Checksums?

Modern API keys (used by Stripe, GitHub, Slack, etc.) follow the format `prefix_entropyChecksum`. The prefix indicates key usage (e.g., `sk_live_`), and the checksum at the end (like CRC32 or Luhn) allows instant client-side verification before executing database queries.

Luhn Mod N & CRC32 Algorithms

The Luhn Mod N algorithm generalizes the Luhn formula (credit card check) to support arbitrary character sets (alphabets). CRC32 generates a 32-bit cyclical redundancy check that is converted to the target alphabet, guaranteeing that mistyped keys are immediately rejected.

Tools Menu

Prefix API Key Generator & Validator

Prefix API Key Generator & Validator

Generated API Key

Key Component Breakdown

Why Use Prefixed API Keys with Checksums?

Luhn Mod N & CRC32 Algorithms

Free Online Developer Tools - ULID, UUID, NanoID, CUID, Snowflake ID, JWT Decoder, Base64, JSON Formatter & More

Tools Menu

Prefix API Key Generator & Validator

Prefix API Key Generator & Validator

Generated API Key

Key Component Breakdown

Why Use Prefixed API Keys with Checksums?

Luhn Mod N & CRC32 Algorithms