Learn to Build a UUID Generator with Next.js

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Creating a Web Page for Generating UUIDs
3. Setting Up the Page Structure
4. Generating the UUID
5. Displaying the UUID
6. Highlighting and Copying the UUID
7. Choosing the UUID Version
8. Styling the Web Page
9. Conclusion
10. References

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss how to create a simple web page for generating UUIDs. UUIDs (Universally Unique Identifiers) are widely used in software development to ensure the uniqueness of data. We will walk through the steps of setting up the page, generating the UUID, displaying it, highlighting and copying it, and allowing users to choose the UUID version. We will also cover styling the web page to make it visually appealing.

Creating a Web Page for Generating UUIDs

To start, we need to create a new web page where users can generate UUIDs. We will use TypeScript and JSX for this project. The URL for the web page will be "sky.dev/tools/uuid". We will utilize the GitHub Copilot tool to suggest the code for the page creation.

Setting Up the Page Structure

Next, we will set up the structure of the web page. The title of the page will be "UUID Generator", and we will include a button that generates the UUID. We will also include an input field to display the generated UUID.

Generating the UUID

In order to generate the UUID, we will use the UUID library. We will import the library and use the V4 function to generate a random UUID. By default, the UUID will be generated when the page mounts.

Displaying the UUID

To display the generated UUID, we will replace the paragraph element with an input element. We will make it read-only to prevent users from editing the UUID.

Highlighting and Copying the UUID

We will add functionality to highlight and copy the generated UUID. When the user clicks on the input field, we want the text to be automatically highlighted for easy copying. We will also include a copy button, along with the necessary logic to copy the UUID to the clipboard. Additionally, we will handle the case where the Navigator.clipboard API is not supported in some browsers.

Choosing the UUID Version

To provide more flexibility, we will allow users to choose the UUID version they want to generate. We will implement this by adding radio buttons for the available versions (V1, V3, V5, and nil). However, for now, we will focus on generating UUIDs using the V4 version.

Styling the Web Page

In order to make our web page visually appealing, we will apply CSS styles to the various elements. We will use the Headless UI library to make styling easier and more efficient. We will also provide screen reader support and ensure the web page is responsive and user-friendly.

Conclusion

In this article, we have learned how to create a web page for generating UUIDs. We have covered the steps for setting up the page, generating the UUID, displaying it, highlighting and copying it, allowing users to choose the UUID version, and styling the web page. By following these steps, you can create a user-friendly tool for generating UUIDs in your web applications.

References

[1] UUID - Universally Unique Identifier. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universally_unique_identifier [2] GitHub Copilot - AI Pair Programmer. Retrieved from https://copilot.github.com/ [3] Headless UI - Collection of Accessible and Reusable UI Components. Retrieved from https://headlessui.dev/

Highlights

• Learn how to create a web page for generating UUIDs
• Utilize TypeScript and JSX for web development
• Generate and display UUIDs using the UUID library
• Add functionality to highlight and copy UUIDs
• Allow users to choose the UUID version
• Style the web page using the Headless UI library

FAQ

Q: What is a UUID? A: UUID stands for Universally Unique Identifier. It is a 128-bit number used to identify information in computer systems.

Q: Why do we need UUIDs? A: UUIDs are used to ensure the uniqueness of data. They are commonly used in distributed systems and databases to uniquely identify entities.

Q: Can I use a different UUID version? A: Yes, in this article, we focus on generating UUIDs using the V4 version. However, you can modify the code to use other versions like V1, V3, or V5.