Should You Stop Using UUIDs?

By /

Listen to this Post

2025-02-11

UUIDs (Universally Unique Identifiers), known as GUIDs in C#, are widely used as unique database identifiers. Their randomness makes them popular in distributed systems. However, UUIDs come with significant drawbacks:

  1. Performance Issues: UUIDs can slow down database inserts and increase index fragmentation due to their random nature.
  2. Storage Costs: A UUID is 128 bits long, and storing it in a human-readable string format consumes even more space.

A potential solution to these issues is the ULID (Universally Unique Lexicographically Sortable Identifier). Unlike UUIDs, ULIDs are sortable. The first 40 bits of a ULID represent a timestamp, making them monotonically increasing. This feature addresses the performance and fragmentation problems associated with UUIDs.

Another alternative is UUID V7, which is similar to ULIDs. UUID V7 is now available in .NET 9 via Guid.CreateVersion7. This version combines the benefits of UUIDs with the sortable nature of ULIDs.

Practical Implementation

Here are some practical commands and code snippets to work with UUIDs and ULIDs:

Generating a UUID in C#:

Guid uuid = Guid.NewGuid();
Console.WriteLine(uuid.ToString());

Generating a ULID in Python:

import ulid
ulid_value = ulid.new()
print(ulid_value)

Generating a UUID V7 in .NET 9:

Guid uuidV7 = Guid.CreateVersion7();
Console.WriteLine(uuidV7.ToString());

Database Indexing with ULIDs:

CREATE TABLE users (
id CHAR(26) PRIMARY KEY, -- ULID
username VARCHAR(255)
);

Comparing UUIDs and ULIDs in a Database Query:

SELECT * FROM users WHERE id > '01H9Z7X2Y3Q4R5S6T7U8V9W0X1' ORDER BY id ASC;

What Undercode Say

UUIDs have been a staple in distributed systems for their uniqueness and randomness. However, their drawbacks, such as performance bottlenecks and storage inefficiencies, have led to the development of alternatives like ULIDs and UUID V7. ULIDs, with their sortable nature, offer a significant improvement in database performance and indexing. UUID V7, on the other hand, combines the best of both worlds, providing a sortable UUID that maintains compatibility with existing systems.

When choosing between UUIDs, ULIDs, and UUID V7, consider the specific requirements of your system. If performance and storage are critical, ULIDs or UUID V7 might be the better choice. For systems that require strict compatibility with existing UUID implementations, UUID V7 offers a seamless transition.

Here are some additional Linux commands and tools that can help you manage UUIDs and ULIDs in your systems:

Generating a UUID in Linux:

uuidgen

Installing ULID Generator in Linux:

pip install ulid

Using `jq` to Parse JSON with UUIDs:

echo '{"id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000"}' | jq '.id'

Sorting ULIDs in a File:

sort ulids.txt

For further reading on UUIDs and ULIDs, you can refer to the following resources:
– UUID Wikipedia
– ULID GitHub Repository
– .NET 9 Documentation

In conclusion, while UUIDs remain a reliable choice for unique identifiers, the emergence of ULIDs and UUID V7 provides developers with more efficient alternatives. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each, you can make informed decisions that optimize your system’s performance and scalability.

References:

Hackers Feeds, Undercode AIFeatured Image

Related Posts: