> generate-pw

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💡 About

generate-pw is a lightweight, easy-to-use library that allows you to randomly generate, strengthen & validate cryptographically-secure password(s).

- No external dependencies — Only built-in crypto methods used for secure randomization
- Highly customizable — Specify length, quantity, charsets to use, etc.
- Multi-environment support — Use in Node.js or the web browser
- Command line usable — Just type generate-pw, that's it

⚡ Installation

As a global utility:

``
$ npm install -g generate-pw
`

As a runtime dependency, from your project root:

`
$ npm install generate-pw
`

🔌 Importing the API

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#### ECMAScript*:

`js
import pw from 'generate-pw'
`

#### CommonJS:

`js
const pw = require('generate-pw')
`

###### _*Node.js version 14 or higher required_

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#### <> HTML script tag:

`html

`

#### ES6:

`js
(async () => {
await import('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/generate-pw@2.1.0/dist/generate-pw.min.js')
// Your code here...
})()
`

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`js
...
// @require https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/generate-pw@2.1.0/dist/generate-pw.min.js
// ==/UserScript==

// Your code here...
`

💡 Note: To always import the latest version (not recommended in production!) remove the @2.1.0 version tag from the jsDelivr URL: https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/generate-pw/dist/generate-pw.min.js

📋 API usage

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Generates one password if qty option is not given, returning a string:

`js
const password = pw.generatePassword({ length: 11, numbers: true })
console.log(password) // sample output: 'bAsZm3mq6Qn'
`

...or multiple passwords if qty option is given, returning an array of strings:

`js
const passwords = pw.generatePassword({ qty: 5, length: 8, symbols: true })
console.log(passwords)

/* sample output:

generatePassword() » Generating passwords...
generatePassword() » Passwords generated!
generatePassword() » Check returned array.
[ '!zSf@Q.s', '!,HT\\;m=', '?Lq&FV>^', 'gf}Y;}Ne', 'Stsx(GqE' ]
*/
`

💡 Note: If no options are passed, passwords will be 8-chars long, consisting of upper/lower cased letters.

See: Available options

#

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Generates multiple passwords based on qty given, returning an array of strings:

`js
const passwords = pw.generatePasswords(5, { length: 3, uppercase: false })
console.log(passwords)

/* sample output:

generatePasswords() » Generating passwords...
generatePasswords() » Passwords generated!
generatePasswords() » Check returned array.
[ 'yilppxru', 'ckvkyjfp', 'zolcpyfb' ]
*/
`

💡 Note: If no qty arg is passed, just one password will be generated, returned as a string.

See: Available options

#

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Modifies password given to use at least one character of each requiredCharTypes element passed, returning a string:

`js
const strictPW = pw.strictify('abcdef', ['numbers', 'symbols'])
console.log(strictPW) // sample output: 'a!c2ef'
`

💡 Note: If no requiredCharTypes array is passed, all available types will be required.

Available requiredCharTypes are: ['numbers', 'symbols', 'lower', 'upper']

Available options (passed as object properties):

Name | Type | Description | Default Value
----------|---------|-----------------------------------|---------------
verbose | Boolean | Show logging in console/terminal. | true

#

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Validates the strength of a password, returning an object containing:
- strengthScore (0–100)
- recommendations array
- isGood boolean (true if strengthScore >= 80)

Example:

`js
const pwStrength = pw.validateStrength('Aa?idsE')
console.log(pwStrength)

/* outputs:

validateStrength() » Validating password strength...
validateStrength() » Password strength validated!
validateStrength() » Check returned object for score/recommendations.
{
strengthScore: 60,
recommendations: [
'Make it at least 8 characters long.',
'Include at least one number.'
],
isGood: false
}
*/
`

Available options (passed as object properties):

Name | Type | Description | Default Value
----------|---------|-----------------------------------|---------------
verbose | Boolean | Show logging in console/terminal. | true

#

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Any of these can be passed into the options object for each generate*() function:

Name | Type | Description | Default Value
----------------------|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------
verbose | Boolean | Show logging in console/terminal. | true
length | Integer | Length of password(s). | 8
qty | Integer | Number of passwords to generate. | 1
strength | String | <'weak'\|'basic'\|'strong'> Apply strength preset. | ''
charset | String | Characters to include in password(s). | ''
exclude | String | Characters to exclude from password(s). | ''
numbers | Boolean | Allow numbers in password(s). | false
symbols | Boolean | Allow symbols in password(s). | false
lowercase | Boolean | Allow lowercase letters in password(s). | true
uppercase | Boolean | Allow uppercase letters in password(s). | true
similarChars | Boolean | Include similar characters (e.g. o,0,O,i,l,1,\|) in password(s). | false
strict | Boolean | Require at least one character from each allowed character set in password(s). | true
entropy | Boolean | Calculate/log estimated entropy. | false

##### _*Only available in [generatePassword([options])](#generatepasswordoptions) since [generatePasswords(qty[, options])](#generatepasswordsqty-options) takes a qty argument_

💻 Command line usage

When installed globally, generate-pw can also be used from the command line. The basic command is:

`
$ generate-pw
`

#

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`
Parameter options:
--length=n Generate password(s) of n length.
--qty=n Generate n password(s).
--charset=chars Only include chars in password(s).
--exclude=chars Exclude chars from password(s).
--ui-lang="code" ISO 639-1 code of language to display UI in.
--config="path/to/file" Load custom config file.

Boolean options:
-w, --weak Generate weak password(s).
-b, --basic Generate basic strength password(s).
-t, --strong Generate strong password(s).
-N, --no-numbers Disallow numbers in password(s).
-Y, --no-symbols Disallow symbols in password(s).
-L, --no-lowercase Disallow lowercase letters in password(s).
-U, --no-uppercase Disallow uppercase letters in password(s).
-S, --similar-chars Include similar characters in password(s).
-S, --unstrict Don't require at least one character from
each allowed character set in password(s).
-e, --entropy Calculate/log estimated entropy.
-q, --quiet Suppress all logging except errors.

Commands:
-i, --init Create config file (in project root).
-h, --help Display help screen.
-v, --version Show version number.
`

#

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generate-pw can be customized using a generate-pw.config.mjs or generate-pw.config.js placed in your project root.

Example defaults:

`js
export default {
length: 12, // length of passwords to generate
qty: 1, // # of passwords to generate
strength: '', // <'weak'|'basic'|'strong'> apply strength preset
charset: '', // only include chars in password(s)
exclude: '', // exclude chars from password(s)
excludeNums: false, // disallow numbers in password(s)
excludeSymbols: false, // disallow symbols in password(s)
excludeLowerChars: false, // disallow lowercase letters in password(s)
excludeUpperChars: false, // disallow uppercase letters in password(s)
similarChars: false, // include similar chars in password(s)
unstrict: false, // don't require 1+ char from each allowed charset in password(s)
entropy: false, // calculate/log estimated entropy
quietMode: false // suppress all logging except errors
}
`

💡 Run generate-pw init to generate a template generate-pw.config.mjs` in your project root.

🏛️ MIT License

Copyright © 2024–2026 Adam Lui & contributors.

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

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