Hash IDs

Hash IDs are a technique for generating short, unique, non-sequential identifiers from integers, often used to obfuscate database primary keys in URLs or APIs. They typically use a hashing algorithm with a salt to convert numeric IDs into alphanumeric strings that are URL-safe and resistant to guessing. This approach helps prevent information leakage and enumeration attacks while maintaining a compact format.

Also known as: HashId, Hash Identifier, Hashed ID, Obfuscated ID, Short ID

Why learn Hash IDs?

Developers should use Hash IDs when they need to expose database IDs in public interfaces like URLs or API responses without revealing the underlying sequential nature or scale of the data. Common use cases include e-commerce product pages, user profile links, or any scenario where hiding the actual database row count or preventing ID enumeration is important for security or privacy. It's particularly useful in web applications to create user-friendly, non-predictable identifiers.

Learning Resources

• docs: Hashids Official Documentation
• docs: GitHub - Hashids/Hashids: A small library to generate YouTube-like IDs
• tutorial: Stop Using IDs in URLs: Use Hash IDs Instead
• video: Hash IDs Explained - YouTube Video
• tutorial: Practical API Security: Obfuscating IDs with Hashids