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PostgreSQL: Generating UUID primary keys

A universally unique identifier (UUID) is a 128-bit number that is generated in a way that makes it very unlikely that the same identifier will be generated by anyone else in the known universe (globally unique).

In PostgreSQL, you can generate UUIDs using the uuid_generate_v4 function from the uuid-ossp extension.

Postgres UUID primary key

What is UUID?

When to use UUIDs?

You can use UUIDs when you need to generate a globally unique indentifier without using an id generation service, for example, OpenTelemetryopen in new window uses 16-bytes identifiers as a trace id.

Usually, UUIDs are generated by taking 16 random bytes and the uniqueness is based on the sheer quantity, not the generation algorithm. Such identifiers are proven to be unique, but are larger and slightly slower than 64-bit sequential numbers.

TIP

UUIDs are slightly slower than 64-bit sequential identifiers. Use them only when you don't have an easy way to generate smaller sequential identifiers.

UUID in PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL requires an extension to support UUID column type. The extenstion comes with postgresql-contrib-* package:

sudo apt install postgresql-contrib-14

Then you need to install the extension in each database where you are going to use it:

CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS "uuid-ossp";

UUID in Go

For working with UUIDs in Go you need to install google/uuidopen in new window package.

go get github.com/google/uuid

satori/go.uuidopen in new window works too, but it does not look maintained any more.

Generating UUIDs

In PostgreSQL:

SELECT uuid_generate_v4();

In Go:

import "github.com/google/uuid"

fmt.Println(uuid.New())

Using UUIDs in models

You can use uuid.UUID type in Bun models like this:

import "github.com/google/uuid"

type Story struct {
	ID       uuid.UUID `bun:"type:uuid,default:uuid_generate_v4()"`
	Title    string
	AuthorID uuid.UUID `bun:"type:uuid"`
}

UUID field name also works well:

type Story struct {
	UUID       uuid.UUID `bun:",pk,type:uuid,default:uuid_generate_v4()"`
	Title      string
	AuthorUUID uuid.UUID `bun:"type:uuid"`
}

Monitoring performance

To monitor Bun performance, you can use OpenTelemetry instrumentation that comes with Bun and Uptrace.

Uptrace is a source-available APMopen in new window powered by OpenTelemetry and ClickHouse. It allows you to identify and fix bugs in production faster knowing what conditions lead to which errors.

You can get startedopen in new window with Uptrace by downloading a DEB/RPM package or a pre-compiled Go binary.

# PostgreSQL: Generating UUID primary keys

# What is UUID?

# When to use UUIDs?

# UUID in PostgreSQL

# UUID in Go

# Generating UUIDs

# Using UUIDs in models

# Monitoring performance