mt_rand
mt_rand
(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7)
mt_rand — Generate a random value via the Mersenne Twister Random Number Generator
Description
int mt_rand ( void )
int mt_rand ( int $min , int $max )
Caution
This function does not generate cryptographically secure values, and should not be used for cryptographic purposes. If you need a cryptographically secure value, consider using random_int(), random_bytes(), or openssl_random_pseudo_bytes() instead.
Many random number generators of older libcs have dubious or unknown characteristics and are slow. The mt_rand() function is a drop-in replacement for the older rand(). It uses a random number generator with known characteristics using the » Mersenne Twister, which will produce random numbers four times faster than what the average libc rand() provides.
If called without the optional min, max arguments mt_rand() returns a pseudo-random value between 0 and mt_getrandmax(). If you want a random number between 5 and 15 (inclusive), for example, use mt_rand(5, 15).
Parameters
min
Optional lowest value to be returned (default: 0)
max
Optional highest value to be returned (default: mt_getrandmax())
Return Values
A random integer value between min (or 0) and max (or mt_getrandmax(), inclusive), or FALSE if max is less than min.
Changelog
| Version | Description |
|---|---|
| 7.1.0 | rand() has been made an alias of mt_rand(). |
| 7.1.0 | mt_rand()has been updated to use the fixed, correct, version of the Mersenne Twister algorithm. To fall back to the old behaviour, use mt_srand() with MT_RAND_PHP as the second paramter. |
| 5.3.4 | Issues an E_WARNING and returns FALSE if max < min. |
Examples
Example #1 mt_rand() example
<?php
echo mt_rand() . "\n";
echo mt_rand() . "\n";
echo mt_rand(5, 15
?>
The above example will output something similar to:
1604716014
1478613278
6
Notes
Warning
min max range must be within the range mt_getrandmax(). i.e. (max - min) <= mt_getrandmax() Otherwise, mt_rand() may return poorer random numbers than it should.
See Also
- mt_srand() - Seeds the Mersenne Twister Random Number Generator
- mt_getrandmax() - Show largest possible random value
- random_int() - Generates cryptographically secure pseudo-random integers
- random_bytes() - Generates cryptographically secure pseudo-random bytes
- openssl_random_pseudo_bytes() - Generate a pseudo-random string of bytes
- rand() - Generate a random integer
← mt_getrandmax
mt_srand →
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Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License v3.0 or later.
