What are the pros and cons of using MySQL UUID?
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of MySQL UUID:
Advantages:
- Global uniqueness: UUID is a 128-bit number that almost guarantees uniqueness worldwide, avoiding potential conflicts that may arise when using incremental integer types.
- Distribution: UUID is generated through a combination of MAC address, timestamp, and random number, ensuring a high level of distribution and preventing consecutive increments or decrements. This helps improve the even distribution of data.
- Security: The algorithm used to generate UUIDs is based on very large timestamps and random numbers, making it difficult to predict and thus enhancing data security.
- Not reliant on the database: UUID generation does not depend on the database, it can be generated at the application layer, reducing the burden on the database and improving performance.
Downsides:
- Occupying space: UUIDs are 128 bits in size, which is larger than common integer types like int, resulting in the usage of more storage space.
- Lack of order: UUIDs are randomly generated without any specific order, which can be inconvenient for scenarios requiring queries based on time or other specific sequences.
- Performance query: When using UUID as the primary key, due to its unordered nature, the efficiency of querying and indexing large amounts of data may not be as effective as using auto-incrementing integer types.
- Readability: UUID is a long string that is not very intuitive to read, making it cumbersome for human identification and usage.
It is necessary to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of using UUID based on specific application scenarios. For situations requiring global uniqueness and decentralization, as well as those not depending on a database, using UUID would be more appropriate. On the other hand, for scenarios that require sequential querying and indexing, as well as having high demands on storage space and query performance, using an auto-increment integer type may be more suitable.
