...The binary form is 12 bytes, while the string form uses lowercase base32hex encoding to create a 20-character URL-safe representation. This makes xid shorter than standard UUID strings while preserving chronological sortability. It does not require a central generator server or explicit machine and data-center configuration, which makes it convenient for distributed web services. It is well suited for database records, API resources, logs, events, and other systems that need practical unique IDs without the length and randomness tradeoffs of UUIDs.