About stdlib...

We believe in a future in which the web is a preferred environment for numerical computation. To help realize this future, we've built stdlib. stdlib is a standard library, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computation, written in JavaScript (and C) for execution in browsers and in Node.js.

The library is fully decomposable, being architected in such a way that you can swap out and mix and match APIs and functionality to cater to your exact preferences and use cases.

When you use stdlib, you can be absolutely certain that you are using the most thorough, rigorous, well-written, studied, documented, tested, measured, and high-quality code out there.

To join us in bringing numerical computing to the web, get started by checking us out on GitHub, and please consider financially supporting stdlib. We greatly appreciate your continued support!

randu

Uniformly distributed pseudorandom numbers between 0 and 1.

Installation

npm install @stdlib/random-base-randu

Alternatively,

• To load the package in a website via a script tag without installation and bundlers, use the ES Module available on the esm branch (see README).
• If you are using Deno, visit the deno branch (see README for usage intructions).
• For use in Observable, or in browser/node environments, use the Universal Module Definition (UMD) build available on the umd branch (see README).

The branches.md file summarizes the available branches and displays a diagram illustrating their relationships.

To view installation and usage instructions specific to each branch build, be sure to explicitly navigate to the respective README files on each branch, as linked to above.

Usage

var randu = require( '@stdlib/random-base-randu' );

randu()

Returns a uniformly distributed pseudorandom number on the interval [0,1).

var r = randu();
// returns <number>

randu.factory( [options] )

Returns a pseudorandom number generator (PRNG) for generating uniformly distributed random numbers on the interval [0,1).

var rand = randu.factory();

The function accepts the following options:

• name: name of a supported pseudorandom number generator (PRNG), which will serve as the underlying source of pseudorandom numbers. The following generators are supported:

  • mt19937: 32-bit Mersenne Twister.
  • minstd: linear congruential pseudorandom number generator (LCG) based on Park and Miller.
  • minstd-shuffle: linear congruential pseudorandom number generator (LCG) whose output is shuffled.

  Default: 'mt19937'.

• seed: pseudorandom number generator seed. Valid seed values vary according to the underlying PRNG.

• state: pseudorandom number generator state. Valid state values vary according to the underlying PRNG. If provided, the function ignores the seed option.

• copy: boolean indicating whether to copy a provided pseudorandom number generator state. Setting this option to false allows sharing state between two or more pseudorandom number generators. Setting this option to true ensures that a returned generator has exclusive control over its internal state. Default: true.

By default, the underlying pseudorandom number generator is mt19937. To use a different PRNG, set the name option.

var rand = randu.factory({
    'name': 'minstd-shuffle'
});

var r = rand();
// returns <number>

To seed a pseudorandom number generator, set the seed option.

var rand1 = randu.factory({
    'seed': 12345
});

var r1 = rand1();
// returns <number>

var rand2 = randu.factory({
    'seed': 12345
});

var r2 = rand2();
// returns <number>

var bool = ( r1 === r2 );
// returns true

To return a generator having a specific initial state, set the generator state option.

var rand;
var bool;
var r;
var i;

// Generate pseudorandom numbers, thus progressing the generator state:
for ( i = 0; i < 1000; i++ ) {
    r = randu();
}

// Create a new PRNG initialized to the current state of `randu`:
rand = randu.factory({
    'state': randu.state
});

// Test that the generated pseudorandom numbers are the same:
bool = ( rand() === randu() );
// returns true

randu.NAME

The generator name.

var str = randu.NAME;
// returns 'randu'

randu.PRNG

The underlying pseudorandom number generator.

var prng = randu.PRNG;
// returns <Function>

randu.MIN

Minimum value lower bound.

var min = randu.MIN;
// returns 0.0

randu.MAX

Maximum value upper bound (not greater than 1 exclusive).

var max = randu.MAX;
// returns <number>

randu.seed

The value used to seed randu().

var rand;
var r;
var i;

// Generate pseudorandom values...
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    r = randu();
}

// Generate the same pseudorandom values...
rand = randu.factory({
    'seed': randu.seed
});
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    r = rand();
}

randu.seedLength

Length of generator seed.

var len = randu.seedLength;
// returns <number>

randu.state

Writable property for getting and setting the generator state.

var r = randu();
// returns <number>

r = randu();
// returns <number>

// ...

// Get a copy of the current state:
var state = randu.state;

r = randu();
// returns <number>

r = randu();
// returns <number>

// Reset the state:
randu.state = state;

// Replay the last two pseudorandom numbers:
r = randu();
// returns <number>

r = randu();
// returns <number>

// ...

randu.stateLength

Length of generator state.

var len = randu.stateLength;
// returns <number>

randu.byteLength

Size (in bytes) of generator state.

var sz = randu.byteLength;
// returns <number>

randu.toJSON()

Serializes the pseudorandom number generator as a JSON object.

var o = randu.toJSON();
// returns { 'type': 'PRNG', 'name': '...', 'state': {...}, 'params': [] }

Notes

• Warning: the default underlying source of pseudorandom numbers may change in the future. If exact reproducibility is required, either explicitly specify a PRNG via the name option or use an underlying PRNG directly.
• If PRNG state is "shared" (meaning a state array was provided during PRNG creation and not copied) and one sets the generator state to a state array having a different length, the PRNG does not update the existing shared state and, instead, points to the newly provided state array. In order to synchronize PRNG output according to the new shared state array, the state array for each relevant PRNG must be explicitly set.
• If PRNG state is "shared" and one sets the generator state to a state array of the same length, the PRNG state is updated (along with the state of all other PRNGs sharing the PRNG's state array).

Examples

var randu = require( '@stdlib/random-base-randu' );

var seed;
var rand;
var i;

// Generate pseudorandom numbers...
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    console.log( randu() );
}

// Create a new pseudorandom number generator...
seed = 1234;
rand = randu.factory({
    'seed': seed
});
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    console.log( rand() );
}

// Create another pseudorandom number generator using a previous seed...
rand = randu.factory({
    'seed': randu.seed
});
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    console.log( rand() );
}

---

See Also

• @stdlib/random-array/randu: create an array containing uniformly distributed pseudorandom numbers between 0 and 1.
• @stdlib/random-iter/randu: create an iterator for generating uniformly distributed pseudorandom numbers between 0 and 1.
• @stdlib/random-streams/randu: create a readable stream for generating uniformly distributed pseudorandom numbers between 0 and 1.
• @stdlib/random-base/discrete-uniform: discrete uniform distributed pseudorandom numbers.
• @stdlib/random-base/randn: standard normal pseudorandom numbers.

---

Notice

This package is part of stdlib, a standard library for JavaScript and Node.js, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computing. The library provides a collection of robust, high performance libraries for mathematics, statistics, streams, utilities, and more.

For more information on the project, filing bug reports and feature requests, and guidance on how to develop stdlib, see the main project repository.

Community

---

License

See LICENSE.

Copyright

Copyright © 2016-2024. The Stdlib Authors.