As a Ruby on Rails developer, unique identifiers are an essential part of many applications. One unique identifier you should consider using is the Universally Unique Lexicographically Sortable Identifier (ULID). In this blog post, we will explore what ULID is, how it works in Ruby on Rails, and why you should care about it.

What is ULID?

A ULID is a 128-bit identifier that is designed to be both unique and lexicographically sortable. Unlike UUIDs, ULIDs are designed to be easily sortable by time, making them ideal for use in distributed systems. In Ruby on Rails, you can use the ulid gem to generate ULIDs.

How does ULID work in Ruby on Rails?

The ulid gem provides a simple way to generate ULIDs in Ruby on Rails. To use it, you need to add the following line to your Gemfile:

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gem 'ulid'

After running bundle install, you can generate a ULID using the following code:

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require 'ulid'

ulid = ULID.generate

This will generate a ULID in the form of a string, which you can use as a unique identifier in your Ruby on Rails application.

Why should you care about ULID in Ruby on Rails?

ULIDs offer several advantages over other unique identifier schemes. Firstly, because they are lexicographically sortable, they can be easily ordered by time.

Secondly, because ULIDs are based on time, they can be used to generate unique identifiers that are both random and time-based. This can be useful in applications where it is important to have both of these qualities in a unique identifier.

Finally, because ULIDs are relatively new, they are not as widely used as other unique identifier schemes. This means that they are less likely to collide with other identifiers, which can be a problem in some applications.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ULID is a unique identifier scheme that offers several advantages over other schemes such as UUIDs. In Ruby on Rails, you can use the ulid gem to generate ULIDs easily. ULIDs are designed to be both unique and lexicographically sortable, making them ideal for use in distributed systems. ULIDs are relatively new, but their popularity is growing, and they are definitely worth considering for your next Ruby on Rails project.