NanoID
A URL-friendly string ID generator.
NanoID uses a larger alphabet than a typical UUID, which gets the same practical uniqueness into 21 characters instead of 36. Short enough to put in a URL without apology.
It’s what identifies most things in Uile. Each record carries a nanoid, and the command-line tools layer per-host short integers on top for the sake of typing, so contacts 3 show works. The durable identity underneath is the nanoid.