How does Google generate the Meet link ?

This was the question that stuck in my mind every time I scheduled a virtual hangout with friends. It’s just a random string of letters and numbers, right? But surely, there’s some clever method behind it. So, I set out to find the answer. And—you won’t believe this—the exact method isn’t public!

But hold on, the story doesn’t end there. We can still make an educated guess, and one term stands out: UUID.

Let’s dive into what UUID is, how it works, and why it’s likely the foundation of Google Meet’s seemingly magical link generation.

What is UUID and How Does It Work?

UUID stands for Universally Unique Identifier. In simple terms, it’s a 128-bit number used to uniquely identify information in computer systems. Think of it like a digital fingerprint—unique, complex, and nearly impossible to replicate accidentally.

Types of UUIDs

There are several types of UUIDs, but the most common ones are:

• Version 1 (Time-based UUID): Generated using the current timestamp and machine-specific data.
• Version 4 (Random UUID): Generated using random numbers. This is the most common version and most likely what Google (or similar platforms) relies on.
• Version 5 (Name-based UUID): Generated using a hash of a namespace identifier and a name.

So, if Google were to rely on UUIDs, Version 4 (Random UUID) seems like the most probable candidate.

Why UUIDs Are a Smart Choice

UUIDs are great because:

• They ensure uniqueness across distributed systems.
• They don’t require central coordination.
• They can be generated quickly and efficiently.

But UUIDs aren’t perfect. They have their own set of challenges.

The Challenges with UUIDs

One major issue with UUIDs is their storage and indexing in databases. In systems like MySQL, UUIDs can create inefficiencies because they are not sequential. If you want a deeper dive into this issue, check out this excellent article on PlanetScale.

To solve some of these issues, a more refined version of UUID has emerged: Nanoid.

Meet Nanoid: A Sleeker Alternative

Nanoid generates shorter, URL-friendly, and still unique IDs. It’s efficient and reduces some of the indexing problems caused by UUIDs. Curious? You can explore Nanoid further on GitHub.

How Many UUIDs Are Possible, and Will We Ever Run Out?

A Version 4 UUID has 128 bits, which means there are:

340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 possibilities.

Yep, that’s 340 undecillion (A number so big that it broke my blog overflow). To put that into perspective:

• If every person on Earth (around 8 billion people) generated 1 trillion UUIDs per second for 100 years, we’d still have UUIDs to spare.
• Honestly, you’ve got a better chance of being struck by lightning, while winning the lottery, on your birthday, twice.

The Collision Problem

A collision happens when two UUIDs turn out to be identical. The odds? Practically zero.

Even if you generated 103 trillion UUIDs every second for 100 years, there’s only a 50% chance of one collision happening. In short: collisions are about as likely as a cat writing Shakespeare.

Will UUIDs Ever Run Out?

Short answer: Nope.

Not in our lifetime. Not in the next thousand lifetimes. Unless aliens start generating UUIDs at warp speed (and even then, it’s iffy).

Final Thoughts

While Google hasn’t shared the exact mechanics behind Meet link generation, UUIDs—or something similar—are almost certainly the foundation. Whether it’s UUID Version 4, Nanoid, or a customized hybrid system, one thing is clear:

These links are reliable, unique, and practically infinite.

Next time you join a Google Meet call, you’ll know there’s a bit of mathematical magic keeping things organized behind the scenes.