npm package: @stdlib/random-base-mt19937
Description: A 32-bit Mersenne Twister pseudorandom number generator.
Author: The Stdlib Authors
Latest version: 0.2.3

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# Mersenne Twister

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> A 32-bit [Mersenne Twister][mersenne-twister] pseudorandom number generator.

<section class="installation">

## Installation

```bash
npm install @stdlib/random-base-mt19937
```

</section>

<section class="usage">

## Usage

```javascript
var mt19937 = require( '@stdlib/random-base-mt19937' );
```

#### mt19937()

Returns a pseudorandom integer on the interval `[0, 4294967295]`.

```javascript
var r = mt19937();
// returns <number>
```

#### mt19937.normalized()

Returns a pseudorandom number on the interval `[0, 1)` with 53-bit precision.

```javascript
var r = mt19937.normalized();
// returns <number>
```

#### mt19937.factory( \[options] )

Returns a 32-bit [Mersenne Twister][mersenne-twister] pseudorandom number generator.

```javascript
var rand = mt19937.factory();
```

The function accepts the following `options`:

-   **seed**: pseudorandom number generator seed.
-   **state**: a [`Uint32Array`][@stdlib/array/uint32] containing pseudorandom number generator state. 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, a random integer is used to seed the returned generator. To seed the generator, provide either a nonzero integer on the interval `[1, 4294967295]`

```javascript
var rand = mt19937.factory({
    'seed': 1234
});

var r = rand();
// returns 822569775
```

or, for arbitrary length seeds, an array-like object containing unsigned 32-bit integers

```javascript
var Uint32Array = require( '@stdlib/array-uint32' );

var rand = mt19937.factory({
    'seed': new Uint32Array( [ 291, 564, 837, 1110 ] )
});

var r = rand();
// returns 1067595299
```

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

```javascript
// Generate pseudorandom numbers, thus progressing the generator state:
var r;
var i;
for ( i = 0; i < 1000; i++ ) {
    r = mt19937();
}

// Create a new MT19937 PRNG initialized to the current state of `mt19937`:
var rand = mt19937.factory({
    'state': mt19937.state
});

// Test that the generated pseudorandom numbers are the same:
var bool = ( rand() === mt19937() );
// returns true
```

#### mt19937.NAME

The generator name.

```javascript
var str = mt19937.NAME;
// returns 'mt19937'
```

#### mt19937.MIN

Minimum possible value.

```javascript
var min = mt19937.MIN;
// returns 0
```

#### mt19937.MAX

Maximum possible value.

```javascript
var max = mt19937.MAX;
// returns 4294967295
```

#### mt19937.seed

The value used to seed `mt19937()`.

```javascript
// Generate pseudorandom values...
var r;
var i;
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    r = mt19937();
}

// Generate the same pseudorandom values...
var rand = mt19937.factory({
    'seed': mt19937.seed
});
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    r = rand();
}
```

#### mt19937.seedLength

Length of generator seed.

```javascript
var len = mt19937.seedLength;
// returns <number>
```

#### mt19937.state

Writable property for getting and setting the generator state.

```javascript
var r = mt19937();
// returns <number>

r = mt19937();
// returns <number>

// ...

// Get a copy of the current state:
var state = mt19937.state;
// returns <Uint32Array>

r = mt19937();
// returns <number>

r = mt19937();
// returns <number>

// Reset the state:
mt19937.state = state;

// Replay the last two pseudorandom numbers:
r = mt19937();
// returns <number>

r = mt19937();
// returns <number>

// ...
```

#### mt19937.stateLength

Length of generator state.

```javascript
var len = mt19937.stateLength;
// returns <number>
```

#### mt19937.byteLength

Size (in bytes) of generator state.

```javascript
var sz = mt19937.byteLength;
// returns <number>
```

#### mt19937.toJSON()

Serializes the pseudorandom number generator as a JSON object.

```javascript
var o = mt19937.toJSON();
// returns { 'type': 'PRNG', 'name': '...', 'state': {...}, 'params': [] }
```

</section>

<!-- /.usage -->

<section class="notes">

## Notes

-   [Mersenne Twister][mersenne-twister] is **not** a cryptographically secure PRNG, as the PRNG is based on a linear recursion. Any pseudorandom number sequence generated by a linear recursion is **insecure**, due to the fact that one can predict future generated outputs by observing a sufficiently long subsequence of generated values.
-   Compared to other PRNGs, [Mersenne Twister][mersenne-twister] has a large state size (`~2.5kB`). Because of the large state size, beware of increased memory consumption when using the `factory()` method to create many [Mersenne Twister][mersenne-twister] PRNGs. When appropriate (e.g., when external state mutation is not a concern), consider sharing PRNG state.
-   A seed array of length `1` is considered **equivalent** to an integer seed equal to the lone seed array element and vice versa.
-   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).
-   The PRNG has a period of `2^19937 - 1`.

</section>

<!-- /.notes -->

<section class="examples">

## Examples

<!-- eslint no-undef: "error" -->

```javascript
var mt19937 = require( '@stdlib/random-base-mt19937' );

// Generate pseudorandom numbers...
var i;
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    console.log( mt19937() );
}

// Create a new pseudorandom number generator...
var seed = 1234;
var rand = mt19937.factory({
    'seed': seed
});
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    console.log( rand() );
}

// Create another pseudorandom number generator using a previous seed...
rand = mt19937.factory({
    'seed': mt19937.seed
});
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    console.log( rand() );
}
```

</section>

<!-- /.examples -->

* * *

<section class="references">

## References

-   Matsumoto, Makoto, and Takuji Nishimura. 1998. "Mersenne Twister: A 623-dimensionally Equidistributed Uniform Pseudo-random Number Generator." _ACM Transactions on Modeling and Computer Simulation_ 8 (1). New York, NY, USA: ACM: 3–30. doi:[10.1145/272991.272995][@matsumoto:1998a].
-   Harase, Shin. 2017. "Conversion of Mersenne Twister to double-precision floating-point numbers." _ArXiv_ abs/1708.06018 (September). <https://arxiv.org/abs/1708.06018>.

</section>

<!-- /.references -->

<!-- Section for related `stdlib` packages. Do not manually edit this section, as it is automatically populated. -->

<section class="related">

* * *

## See Also

-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/random-array/mt19937`][@stdlib/random/array/mt19937]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create an array containing pseudorandom numbers generated using a 32-bit Mersenne Twister pseudorandom number generator.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/random-iter/mt19937`][@stdlib/random/iter/mt19937]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create an iterator for a 32-bit Mersenne Twister pseudorandom number generator.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/random-streams/mt19937`][@stdlib/random/streams/mt19937]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create a readable stream for a 32-bit Mersenne Twister pseudorandom number generator.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/random-base/minstd`][@stdlib/random/base/minstd]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">A linear congruential pseudorandom number generator (LCG) based on Park and Miller.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/random-base/randi`][@stdlib/random/base/randi]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">pseudorandom numbers having integer values.</span>

</section>

<!-- /.related -->

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* * *

## Notice

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

#### Community

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---

## Copyright

Copyright &copy; 2016-2026. The Stdlib [Authors][stdlib-authors].

</section>

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[umd]: https://github.com/umdjs/umd
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[deno-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/random-base-mt19937/tree/deno
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[branches-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/random-base-mt19937/blob/main/branches.md

[mersenne-twister]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mersenne_Twister

[@matsumoto:1998a]: https://doi.org/10.1145/272991.272995

[@stdlib/array/uint32]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/array-uint32

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