wp_rand() WP 2.6.2

Generates a random number between the specified min and max.

Global. String. $rnd_value
Static. String. $seed
Static. true/false. $use_random_int_functionality
Since 4.4.0 Uses PHP7 random_int() or the random_compat library if available.

This is a pluggable function, and it can be replaced by a plugin. It means that this function is defined (works) only after all plugins are loaded (included), but before this moment this function has not defined. Therefore, you cannot call this and all functions depended on this function directly from a plugin code. It must be called on plugins_loaded hook or later, for example on init hook.

Function replacement (override) — in a plugin you can create a function with the same name, then it replace this function.

Is the basis for: wp_generate_password()

✈ 1 time = 0.000032s = very fast | 50000 times = 0.09s = speed of light | PHP 7.0.8, WP 4.6.1

No Hooks.

Return

Int. A random number between min and max

Usage

wp_rand( $min, $max );

$min(int): Lower limit for the generated number
Default: 0
$max(int): Upper limit for the generated number
Default: 0

Examples

#1 Get a random number

Function work demonstration:

echo wp_rand( 99, 99999 ); // 19899
echo wp_rand( 1.5, 5.5 );  // always 1
echo wp_rand( 5, 4 );      // always 5

Code of wp rand: `wp-includes/pluggable.php` ^{WP 5.2}

<?php
function wp_rand( $min = 0, $max = 0 ) {
	global $rnd_value;

	// Some misconfigured 32bit environments (Entropy PHP, for example) truncate integers larger than PHP_INT_MAX to PHP_INT_MAX rather than overflowing them to floats.
	$max_random_number = 3000000000 === 2147483647 ? (float) '4294967295' : 4294967295; // 4294967295 = 0xffffffff

	// We only handle Ints, floats are truncated to their integer value.
	$min = (int) $min;
	$max = (int) $max;

	// Use PHP's CSPRNG, or a compatible method
	static $use_random_int_functionality = true;
	if ( $use_random_int_functionality ) {
		try {
			$_max = ( 0 != $max ) ? $max : $max_random_number;
			// wp_rand() can accept arguments in either order, PHP cannot.
			$_max = max( $min, $_max );
			$_min = min( $min, $_max );
			$val  = random_int( $_min, $_max );
			if ( false !== $val ) {
				return absint( $val );
			} else {
				$use_random_int_functionality = false;
			}
		} catch ( Error $e ) {
			$use_random_int_functionality = false;
		} catch ( Exception $e ) {
			$use_random_int_functionality = false;
		}
	}

	// Reset $rnd_value after 14 uses
	// 32(md5) + 40(sha1) + 40(sha1) / 8 = 14 random numbers from $rnd_value
	if ( strlen( $rnd_value ) < 8 ) {
		if ( defined( 'WP_SETUP_CONFIG' ) ) {
			static $seed = '';
		} else {
			$seed = get_transient( 'random_seed' );
		}
		$rnd_value  = md5( uniqid( microtime() . mt_rand(), true ) . $seed );
		$rnd_value .= sha1( $rnd_value );
		$rnd_value .= sha1( $rnd_value . $seed );
		$seed       = md5( $seed . $rnd_value );
		if ( ! defined( 'WP_SETUP_CONFIG' ) && ! defined( 'WP_INSTALLING' ) ) {
			set_transient( 'random_seed', $seed );
		}
	}

	// Take the first 8 digits for our value
	$value = substr( $rnd_value, 0, 8 );

	// Strip the first eight, leaving the remainder for the next call to wp_rand().
	$rnd_value = substr( $rnd_value, 8 );

	$value = abs( hexdec( $value ) );

	// Reduce the value to be within the min - max range
	if ( $max != 0 ) {
		$value = $min + ( $max - $min + 1 ) * $value / ( $max_random_number + 1 );
	}

	return abs( intval( $value ) );
}

Related Functions

From tag: PHP analogues (PHP functions replacement)

wp_parse_str()