genstr

genstr is a command-line utility found in some Unix-like operating systems, particularly those derived from BSD. Its primary function is to generate a string of a specified length containing characters from a given set. This is useful for tasks such as creating random passwords, generating test data, or producing unique identifiers.

The basic syntax of genstr involves specifying the desired length of the output string followed by the characters from which the string should be composed. For example, a command like `genstr 10 abcdef` would generate a random string of 10 characters, where each character is chosen from the set 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f'. The selection of characters is typically pseudo-random.

Different implementations of genstr might offer additional options. These can include specifying a range of characters (e.g., all lowercase letters, all digits), or excluding certain characters. The utility is often used in shell scripting to automate the creation of random strings for various purposes. Its simplicity and directness make it a convenient tool for developers and system administrators who need to quickly generate strings based on defined criteria. While not as feature-rich as dedicated password generation tools or scripting languages with extensive random number generation capabilities, genstr provides a straightforward solution for basic string generation needs.