Benchmark: Math.random vs crypto.getRandomValues 32 bytes

Script Preparation code:

u8 = new Uint8Array(32)

Tests:

Math.random
for(let i=0;i<u8.length;++i) { u8[i] = Math.round(Math.random() * 0xff) }
crypto API
crypto.getRandomValues(u8)

Rendered benchmark preparation results:

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Previous results

Test case name	Result
Math.random
crypto API

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Latest run results:

Run details: (Test run date: 2 years ago)

User agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.15; rv:104.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/104.0

Browser/OS: Firefox 104 on Mac OS X 10.15

View result in a separate tab

Test name	Executions per second
Math.random	6594125.5 Ops/sec
crypto API	526904.4 Ops/sec

Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated 2 months ago):

LLMs can make mistakes. Check important info.

**Overview of the Benchmark**

The provided JSON represents a JavaScript microbenchmarking test created on MeasureThat.net. The benchmark compares the performance of two approaches for generating random numbers: `Math.random` and the `crypto.getRandomValues` API.

**Options Compared**

The benchmark tests two options:

1. **Math.random**: This is a built-in JavaScript function that generates a random number between 0 (inclusive) and 1 (exclusive). The test case uses this function to generate 32 bytes of random data.
2. **crypto.getRandomValues**: This is a Web Cryptography API function that generates cryptographically secure random numbers. In the test case, it's used to fill a `Uint8Array` with 32 bytes of random data.

**Pros and Cons of Each Approach**

1. **Math.random**:
	* Pros: Easy to use, widely supported, and simple implementation.
	* Cons: Not suitable for generating cryptographically secure random numbers. The generated numbers can be predictable and biased due to the underlying algorithm.
2. **crypto.getRandomValues**:
	* Pros: Provides cryptographically secure random numbers, suitable for applications requiring high randomness and security.
	* Cons: Requires the Web Cryptography API, which may not be supported by older browsers or devices.

**Library Used**

The `crypto` library is a built-in JavaScript library that provides cryptographic functions, including the `getRandomValues` method used in the test case. Its purpose is to generate cryptographically secure random numbers suitable for applications requiring high randomness and security.

**Special JS Feature or Syntax (Not Applicable)**

There are no special JavaScript features or syntaxes used in this benchmarking test.

**Other Alternatives**

If you need to generate non-cryptographically secure random numbers, you can use other approaches such as:

1. `Math.random()` with a seed value: You can provide a seed value to the `Math.random()` function to make it more predictable and controlled.
2. External libraries or modules: There are third-party libraries available that provide alternative methods for generating random numbers, such as `rand` or `random-js`.

Keep in mind that these alternatives may not offer the same level of security as `crypto.getRandomValues`, so choose the approach according to your specific use case and requirements.

**Benchmark Preparation Code**

The provided script preparation code creates a `Uint8Array` with 32 bytes:
```javascript
u8 = new Uint8Array(32);
```
This array will be used to store the generated random numbers.

Related benchmarks:

Math.random vs crypto.getRandomValues 32 bytes (version: 0)

Fast and quick test

Comparing performance of: Math.random vs crypto API

Created: 2 years ago by: Guest

Jump to the latest result

Math.random

crypto API

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Experimental features:

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated 2 months ago):