MONGOC_RAND(3)

💜 MONGOC_RAND(3) — like, the libmongoc one, bestie

okay so this page lives in libmongoc and it's literally called MongoDB Random Number Generator — yes, that's the whole vibe, we're talking about randomness today and I'm obsessed 🎲✨

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🌸 SYNOPSIS

void
mongoc_rand_add (const void *buf, int num, double entropy);

void
mongoc_rand_seed (const void *buf, int num);

int
mongoc_rand_status (void);

that's the whole cast, no cap — three little functions, one big job 🫶

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✨ DESCRIPTION

so the mongoc_rand family of functions gives you access to the low level randomness primitives used by the MongoDB C Driver. like, the actual machinery under the hood 💅. Specifically? They control the creation of cryptographically strong pseudo-random bytes — the kind some security mechanisms literally cannot function without 🔥.

now here's the tea ☕: usually we can pull enough entropy straight from the environment, easy. BUT — depending on your OS, your hardware, and whatever other entropy consumers are running on the same system — you may be required to seed the PRNG manually. so don't come for me if you assumed it was automatic, iykyk 😭

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🎀 ENTROPY

mongoc_rand_add and mongoc_rand_seed both let you, the user, directly provide entropy. main character energy for real 👑.

so what's the difference bestie? listen up:

• mongoc_rand_seed requires that each bit you provide is fully random. every single bit. no half measures, periodt.
• mongoc_rand_add is the chiller one — you get to specify the degree of randomness in the bytes you're handing over, too 🌈.

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💀 STATUS

mongoc_rand_status lets you check the status of the mongoc PRNG. and why do we care? because you can use it to guarantee sufficient entropy at program startup instead of sitting there waiting for runtime errors to happen to you 😳. proactive queen behavior fr fr. vibe check your entropy before the chaos, not after 🦋.

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🧚 AUTHOR

MongoDB, Inc

💖 COPYRIGHT

2009-present, MongoDB, Inc.

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and that's the page!! go forth and be random ✨🍓

signing off from version 2.5.6, dated Oct 09, 2026 — mwah, take care of your entropy bestie 💜🎀