Generate UUID in Objective-C

Table of Contents

  1. UUID Version 1
  2. UUID Version 4
  3. UUID Using OSSP Library

UUID Version 1

UUID Version 1 generates a unique identifier based on the current timestamp and the MAC address of the device. This method is not suitable for generating cryptographically secure IDs. 

      NSString *uuid = [[[NSUUID UUID] UUIDString] lowercaseString];

UUID Version 4

UUID Version 4 is generated using random or pseudo-random numbers. This method provides a higher level of security compared to Version 1. 

      CFUUIDRef uuidRef = CFUUIDCreate(kCFAllocatorDefault);
      NSString *uuid = (NSString *)CFBridgingRelease(CFUUIDCreateString(kCFAllocatorDefault, uuidRef));
      CFRelease(uuidRef);

UUID Using OSSP Library

If you want to use a third-party library for generating UUIDs, you can use the OSSP library. Follow the installation instructions provided by the library to include it in your project. 

      #import <ossp/uuid.h>
      uuid_t uu;
      uuid_generate(uu);
      char uuidStr[37];
      uuid_unparse(uu, uuidStr);
      NSString *uuid = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:uuidStr];

Summary

In Objective-C, there are multiple ways to generate UUIDs. Version 1 and Version 4 are the most commonly used methods. Version 1 uses the device's MAC address and current timestamp, while Version 4 generates random numbers. If you prefer to use a third-party library, the OSSP library provides a reliable solution. Choose the method that best suits your requirements for generating UUIDs in Objective-C.

References