Question 1

What is a GUID?

Accepted Answer

GUID (Globally Unique Identifier) is Microsoft's name for a UUID. A v4 GUID and a v4 UUID are the same 128-bit value; the only differences are cosmetic, in how the value is written. GUIDs appear throughout Windows, the registry, COM, and the .NET ecosystem.

Question 2

What GUID formats can this generator produce?

Accepted Answer

It produces a random (v4) identifier and lets you present it in the common Microsoft conventions: uppercase or lowercase, with or without hyphens, and wrapped in braces or parentheses (the registry format).

Question 3

Is a GUID the same as a UUID?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A version 4 GUID is the same 128-bit random value as a version 4 UUID. GUID is simply the term Microsoft uses; the only differences are in formatting conventions such as braces and casing.