# UUIDs

UUID values in SurrealQL represent UUID v4 and v7 values.

UUIDs represent UUID v4 and v7 values. They can be obtained via either the:
- [`rand::uuid::*` functions](/docs/reference/query-language/functions/database-functions/rand.md#randuuidv4)
- [casted from strings](/docs/reference/query-language/language-primitives/casting.md#uuid)
- or via [string prefixes](/docs/reference/query-language/language-primitives/data-types/strings.md#uuid)

> [!NOTE]
> SurrealDB does not eagerly convert a string into a UUID. An implicit `u` prefix or cast using `<uuid>` is required instead.

```surql
rand::uuid::v4();
rand::uuid::v7();
<uuid> "a8f30d8b-db67-47ec-8b38-ef703e05ad1b";
u"a8f30d8b-db67-47ec-8b38-ef703e05ad1b";
```