API Key Generator

Overview

A comprehensive TypeScript/JavaScript function for generating various types of API keys with multiple generation methods and customization options. It uses nodejs backend to generate apikeys.IT also supports string, bytes, base, UUID generation methods with prefixing and batch generation capabilities.

Features

Methods

• String: Generate keys using a customizable character pool with flexible length options
• Bytes: Create high-entropy keys using cryptographically secure random bytes
• Base32: Produce human-readable keys with good uniqueness based on UUID encoding
• Base64: Generate compact, URL-safe Base64 encoded keys
• UUIDv4: Create standard random UUIDs with or without dashes
• UUIDv5: Generate deterministic, name-based UUIDs for consistent key generation

Customization

• Length Control: Fixed or variable length keys with min/max boundaries
• Character Pools: Customize the character set used for string-based keys
• Formatting: Control dashes inclusion for UUID and Base32 methods
• Prefixing: Add descriptive prefixes to keys (Output: "prod.xxxx" or "dev.xxxx")
• Batch Generation: Generate multiple keys in a single call

Installation

// Import the function
const { generateApiKey } = require("@nexoracle/utils"); // CJS
import { generateApiKey } from "@nexoracle/utils"; // ESM

---

Usage Exmaples

The library provides six different methods for generating API keys, each with its own characteristics and security properties.

Quick Start

// Generate a simple API key with default options
const apiKey = generateApiKey();
console.log(apiKey); // Output: "8f7d3b2a1c5e9f0g4h6i"

// Generate a UUIDv4 based API key
const uuidKey = generateApiKey({ method: "uuidv4" });
console.log(uuidKey); // Output: "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000"

// Generate a batch of 5 API keys with a prefix
const keys = generateApiKey({
  method: "base64",
  prefix: "prod",
  batch: 5,
});
console.log(keys);
// [
//   "prod.dGhpcyBpcyBhIHRlc3Qgc3RyaW5n",
//   "prod.YW5vdGhlciB0ZXN0IHN0cmluZw",
//   "prod.eWV0IGFub3RoZXIgdGVzdA",
//   "prod.c29tZSByYW5kb20gZGF0YQ",
//   "prod.bW9yZSByYW5kb20gZGF0YQ"
// ]

---

String Method

The default method. Generates a random string using a specified character pool.

Options

Args	Type	Default	Description
method	String	string	string method to generate apikeys
min	Number	16	Minimum length when generating apikey
max	Number	32	Maximum length when generating apikey
length	Number	undefined	Fixed length (overrides min/max if specified)
pool	String	abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789-._~+/	The characters to use when generating the key generation
prefix	String	undefined	An optional prefix to add to the generated key
batch	Number	undefined	If specified, generates multiple keys

Examples:

// Uses string method with default options
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "string" })); // Output: nD6ao+/smhRp/y~+AATug

// Generate apikey with a certain length
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "string", length: 10 })); // Output: MwSAKFekF3

// Generates apikey between two random numbers length
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "string", min: 10, max: 30 })); // Output: qnaPRrZP0nn5FPDSq

// Custom character pool
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "string", pool: "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPqrstuvwxzy" })); // Output: AzqJGzIPOGxzNDJBHqHyNAGOw

// Generates apikey with a prefix
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "string", prefix: "nex" })); // Output: nex.qW2BOTdfbVR-2KG-O_3Fo

// Generate certian amount of apikeys
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "string", batch: 5 }));

// Output:

/*
[
  '/XtssY90qT0c_E.XkquywDTl6',
  'NmD_AbWDydAqGtSLZoBtf4pM+rZ',
  'hzxg1bEIP1VIWbLwTNcJK2vgR',
  'TtDju~yMKAi1iF9/SVep6SjSA',
  '-45xqnfASWyXz.n~h3'
]
*/

---

Bytes Method

Generates random bytes and returns them as a hexadecimal string. This provides high entropy.

Options

Args	Type	Default	Description
method	String	bytes	use bytes method to generate apikeys
min	Number	16	Minimum length when generating apikey
max	Number	32	Maximum length when generating apikey
length	Number	undefined	Fixed length (overrides min/max if specified)
prefix	String	undefined	An optional prefix to add to the generated key
batch	Number	undefined	If specified, generates multiple keys

Examples:

// Uses bytes method with default options
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "bytes" })); // Output: 2e060bbf30cd7d4f810

// Generate apikey with a certain length
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "bytes", length: 10 })); // Output: 5b33c8887a

// Generates apikey between two random numbers length
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "bytes", min: 10, max: 30 })); // Output: 06f9f0e0390fe560e423fdd92

// Generates apikey with a prefix
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "bytes", prefix: "nex" })); // Output: nex.60c688d913100c1648a60847f99

// Generate certian amount of apikeys
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "bytes", batch: 5 }));

// Output:

/*
[
  '03cfb3cbb6acee271e',
  'cb678f5ad21da463',
  'a1dbed93a7a83d21144b6b80',
  '34be0276863ab2146dc932708bfa9e06',
  '1fe4621ca6a09c04cd399d'
]
*/

---

Base32 Method

Generates a Base32 encoded string derived from a UUID. This provides human-readable keys with good uniqueness.

Options

Args	Type	Default	Description
method	String	base32	use base32 method to generate apikeys
dashes	Boolean	true	Adds dashes (-) between apikey
prefix	String	undefined	An optional prefix to add to the generated key
batch	Number	undefined	If specified, generates multiple keys

Examples:

// Uses base32 method with default options
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "base32" }));
// Output: F330-F60A-E249-4C45-A220-9930-8C43-7757

// Generate apikey without dashes
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "base32", dashes: false }));
// Output: D17783162D514BDEAA312B6CA8C3132C

// Generates apikey with a prefix
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "base32", prefix: "nex" }));
// Output: nex.6098-D32C-9EB7-40B2-B917-67DE-765F-349C

// Generate certian amount of apikeys
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "base32", batch: 5 }));

// Output:

/*
[
  'DA17-DB5F-8826-4BC1-B303-8F9A-AB16-448D',
  '5635-6173-1C3C-458F-94DE-C7F8-D6D1-65C5',
  '7B5A-8879-0DF2-4263-9D13-3ABA-ADA7-008C',
  'CECF-D40E-0143-41E6-8539-9BBE-4B86-B27A',
  '5BF0-A534-EBC2-4B64-9CAE-BD54-04AC-E294'
]
*/

---

Base64 Method

Generates a URL-safe Base64 encoded string derived from random bytes. This provides compact, efficient keys.

Options

Args	Type	Default	Description
method	String	base64	use base64 method to generate apikeys
prefix	String	undefined	An optional prefix to add to the generated key
batch	Number	undefined	If specified, generates multiple keys

Examples:

// Uses base64 method with default options
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "base64" }));
// Output: WXXeqzIs4hA8tr43k5gNfga8JyB_tFaA

// Generates apikey with a prefix
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "base64", prefix: "nex" }));
// Output: nex.840YI9apBy-NZy09eAYARD8K21sjwxCW

// Generate certian amount of apikeys
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "base64", batch: 5 }));

// Output:

/*
[
  'x1P8PT9c3VDytS0taojALtjBDGKet62t',
  'SwGoZ-fliO6MBb9uYJHkICIewZgz-uQG',
  'gLF7SyV8ITJhC35kiUy5fQ8zZGhSubui',
  'bhImVgdW_IWBzVaFgAXwbcMzofq0RAYb',
  'y8DK3wTjYLmHbeNQADWPGgP9yCp6PQlI'
]
*/

---

UUIDv4 Method

Generates a standard UUIDv4 (random-based) identifier.

Options

Args	Type	Default	Description
method	String	uuidv4	use uuidv4 method to generate apikeys
dashes	Boolean	true	Adds dashes (-) between apikey
prefix	String	undefined	An optional prefix to add to the generated key
batch	Number	undefined	If specified, generates multiple keys

Examples:

// Uses uuidv4 method with default options
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "uuidv4" }));
// Output: 29c2bd61-f93b-4ae2-8872-2ab099b74abd

// Generate apikey without dashes
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "uuidv4", dashes: false }));
// Output: 0e6dd38a6afc4515b5d21b05aed277f7

// Generates apikey with a prefix
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "uuidv4", prefix: "nex" }));
// Output: nex.286636b6-d756-48bb-8599-5136cbb1e48b

// Generate certian amount of apikeys
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "uuidv4", batch: 5 }));

// Output:

/*
[
  'b9c4aa58-ce03-435a-8e78-b1e71f73224c',
  '69fb215d-0f33-4ddb-a884-e20717d63fd9',
  'b2cd5064-58aa-4e5c-9404-01480482a9d9',
  '7afc7451-8e28-438f-914f-fcfe2c60dada',
  'e7dd447e-9619-4ed8-9147-3d8a7c15b682'
]
*/

---

UUIDv5 Method

Generates a UUIDv5 (name-based) identifier using SHA-1 hashing. Useful for creating deterministic IDs based on a name within a namespace.

Options

Args	Type	Default	Description
method	String	uuidv5	use uuidv5 method to generate apikeys
name	String	undefined	A unique name to use for the generation
namespace	String	undefined	The UUID to use for the generation (skipped if batch is provided)
dashes	Boolean	true	Adds dashes (-) between apikey
prefix	String	undefined	An optional prefix to add to the generated key
batch	Number	undefined	If specified, generates multiple keys

Examples:

// Uses uuidv5 method with default options
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "uuidv5", name: "my app", namespace: "7afc7451-8e28-438f-914f-fcfe2c60dada" }));
// Output: f95a1fbd-00c1-5da0-aecb-d91235d39136

// Generate apikey without dashes
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "uuidv5", name: "my app", namespace: "b9c4aa58-ce03-435a-8e78-b1e71f73224c", dashes: false }));
// Output: 7a13b8cba6ca518e9c0a810903d8aa17

// Generates apikey with a prefix
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "uuidv5", name: "my app", namespace: "e7dd447e-9619-4ed8-9147-3d8a7c15b682", prefix: "nex" }));
// Output: nex.161eaa53-8012-571a-98c6-8043d43aaaaa

// Generate certian amount of apikeys, auto-generates the namespace
console.log(generateApiKey({ method: "uuidv5", name: "my app", batch: 5 }));

// Output:

/*
[
  'ab2c0cc8-f85b-59ff-a37a-b5cba7a46023',
  'fdea47eb-85fc-5164-b466-7c10c515dd02',
  '5283332a-b9ca-52ec-869c-d4b91b62f5fb',
  'ed08f75c-a70d-5174-8ce6-aeae74d3afe1',
  '922128ff-516e-5720-97e8-ede24bba9f3a'
]
*/

---

Batch Generation

You can generate multiple API keys at once using the batch option:

// Generate 5 API keys
const keys = generateApiKey({
  method: "string",
  batch: 5,
});

console.log(keys);
// Returns an array of 5 keys

// Generate 10 UUIDv4 keys without dashes
const uuidKeys = generateApiKey({
  method: "uuidv4",
  dashes: false,
  batch: 10,
});

console.log(uuidKeys);

Using Prefixes

You can add a prefix to your API keys, which is useful for indicating their purpose or environment:

// Generate a key with "prod" prefix
const productionKey = generateApiKey({
  method: "base64",
  prefix: "prod",
});

console.log(productionKey);
// Output: "prod.dGhpcyBpcyBhIHRlc3Qgc3RyaW5n"

// Generate dev keys in batch
const devKeys = generateApiKey({
  method: "uuidv4",
  prefix: "dev",
  batch: 3,
});

console.log(devKeys);
// Output:  ["dev.550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "dev.13a7b6cd-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "dev.983fde45-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000"]

---

Security Considerations

When using this function, consider the following security aspects:

1. Key Length: Longer keys provide better security. For critical applications, use at least 24-32 characters.

2. Method Selection:

   • bytes and base64 provide the highest entropy
   • uuidv4 offers good randomness with a standard format
   • string with a custom pool allows the most flexibility

3. Storage: Never store API keys in plain text. Use secure hashing algorithms with salt.

4. Rotation: Implement key rotation policies to periodically refresh keys.

5. Rate Limiting: Implement rate limiting to prevent brute force attacks.