sqids/sqids-python

Official Python port of Sqids. Generate short unique IDs from numbers.

Python

524

81 commits

updated Oct 1, 2025

See the code

README

Sqids Python

PyPI package Github Actions Downloads

Sqids (pronounced "squids") is a small library that lets you generate unique IDs from numbers. It's good for link shortening, fast & URL-safe ID generation and decoding back into numbers for quicker database lookups.

Features:

  • Encode multiple numbers - generate short IDs from one or several non-negative numbers
  • Quick decoding - easily decode IDs back into numbers
  • Unique IDs - generate unique IDs by shuffling the alphabet once
  • ID padding - provide minimum length to make IDs more uniform
  • URL safe - auto-generated IDs do not contain common profanity
  • Randomized output - Sequential input provides nonconsecutive IDs
  • Many implementations - Support for 40+ programming languages

🧰 Use-cases

Good for:

  • Generating IDs for public URLs (eg: link shortening)
  • Generating IDs for internal systems (eg: event tracking)
  • Decoding for quicker database lookups (eg: by primary keys)

Not good for:

  • Sensitive data (this is not an encryption library)
  • User IDs (can be decoded revealing user count)

🚀 Getting started

Install the package from PyPI, e. g. with pip:

pip install sqids

Import the Sqids class from the sqids package:

from sqids import Sqids
sqids = Sqids()

👩‍💻 Examples

Simple encode & decode:

sqids = Sqids()
id = sqids.encode([1, 2, 3]) # "86Rf07"
numbers = sqids.decode(id) # [1, 2, 3]

Note 🚧 Because of the algorithm's design, multiple IDs can decode back into the same sequence of numbers. If it's important to your design that IDs are canonical, you have to manually re-encode decoded numbers and check that the generated ID matches.

Enforce a minimum length for IDs:

sqids = Sqids(min_length=10)
id = sqids.encode([1, 2, 3]) # "86Rf07xd4z"
numbers = sqids.decode(id) # [1, 2, 3]

Randomize IDs by providing a custom alphabet:

sqids = Sqids(alphabet="FxnXM1kBN6cuhsAvjW3Co7l2RePyY8DwaU04Tzt9fHQrqSVKdpimLGIJOgb5ZE")
id = sqids.encode([1, 2, 3]) # "B4aajs"
numbers = sqids.decode(id) # [1, 2, 3]

Prevent specific words from appearing anywhere in the auto-generated IDs:

sqids = Sqids(blocklist=["86Rf07"])
id = sqids.encode([1, 2, 3]) # "se8ojk"
numbers = sqids.decode(id) # [1, 2, 3]

📝 License

MIT

hashids
id
id-generator
python
short-id
short-url
sqids
uid
unique-id
unique-id-generator

sqids/sqids-python

Official Python port of Sqids. Generate short unique IDs from numbers.

Python

524

81 commits

updated Oct 1, 2025

See the code

README

Sqids Python

PyPI package Github Actions Downloads

Sqids (pronounced "squids") is a small library that lets you generate unique IDs from numbers. It's good for link shortening, fast & URL-safe ID generation and decoding back into numbers for quicker database lookups.

Features:

  • Encode multiple numbers - generate short IDs from one or several non-negative numbers
  • Quick decoding - easily decode IDs back into numbers
  • Unique IDs - generate unique IDs by shuffling the alphabet once
  • ID padding - provide minimum length to make IDs more uniform
  • URL safe - auto-generated IDs do not contain common profanity
  • Randomized output - Sequential input provides nonconsecutive IDs
  • Many implementations - Support for 40+ programming languages

🧰 Use-cases

Good for:

  • Generating IDs for public URLs (eg: link shortening)
  • Generating IDs for internal systems (eg: event tracking)
  • Decoding for quicker database lookups (eg: by primary keys)

Not good for:

  • Sensitive data (this is not an encryption library)
  • User IDs (can be decoded revealing user count)

🚀 Getting started

Install the package from PyPI, e. g. with pip:

pip install sqids

Import the Sqids class from the sqids package:

from sqids import Sqids
sqids = Sqids()

👩‍💻 Examples

Simple encode & decode:

sqids = Sqids()
id = sqids.encode([1, 2, 3]) # "86Rf07"
numbers = sqids.decode(id) # [1, 2, 3]

Note 🚧 Because of the algorithm's design, multiple IDs can decode back into the same sequence of numbers. If it's important to your design that IDs are canonical, you have to manually re-encode decoded numbers and check that the generated ID matches.

Enforce a minimum length for IDs:

sqids = Sqids(min_length=10)
id = sqids.encode([1, 2, 3]) # "86Rf07xd4z"
numbers = sqids.decode(id) # [1, 2, 3]

Randomize IDs by providing a custom alphabet:

sqids = Sqids(alphabet="FxnXM1kBN6cuhsAvjW3Co7l2RePyY8DwaU04Tzt9fHQrqSVKdpimLGIJOgb5ZE")
id = sqids.encode([1, 2, 3]) # "B4aajs"
numbers = sqids.decode(id) # [1, 2, 3]

Prevent specific words from appearing anywhere in the auto-generated IDs:

sqids = Sqids(blocklist=["86Rf07"])
id = sqids.encode([1, 2, 3]) # "se8ojk"
numbers = sqids.decode(id) # [1, 2, 3]

📝 License

MIT

hashids
id
id-generator
python
short-id
short-url
sqids
uid
unique-id
unique-id-generator

Significant stargazers

Seth Larson

946 followers · starred Nov 2023

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9,630 followers · starred Mar 2026