UUID: 6 tips for correct use

Tips for working with UUIDs

1. Choose the right version

UUID v4 is a universal choice. UUID v7 - if you need to sort by time. UUID v5 - for deterministic generation.

2. Store the UUID as a binary type in the database

In MySQL, use `BINARY(16)` instead of `CHAR(36)` - this saves 55% of space and speeds up indexes.

3. Use UUID v7 for primary keys

Unlike v4, the v7 UUID contains a timestamp, which allows for sequential insertion into the B-tree index.

4. Don't use UUID for short URLs

UUID is too long for user interfaces - consider NanoID or short hashes.

5. UUID is not a secret

Don't rely on UUID for authorization - v4 is random, but not a cryptographic token.

6. Validate the UUID format

Before using, check the format with a regular expression: `^[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}$`.

See also: Password generator, Slug generator