Codenamize

Generate consistent easier-to-remember codenames from strings, numbers, or other seed inputs.

Overview

Codenamize is a JavaScript library for generating deterministic, alternative codenames for a given seed input. Using codenames in place of awkward identifiers, such as UUIDs, hashes, network addresses etc, helps human users to recall and quickly identify strings.

This is a JavaScript port of the original Python codenamize library, with extra extended capability!

Installation

Install from the npm repository.

With yarn…

$ yarn add @codenamize/codenamize

… or with npm.

$ npm install @codenamize/codenamize

Usage

Importing

const codenamize = require('@codenamize/codenamize');

Generating codenames

seed value

Output is deterministically based on the input seed. Numbers are converted to the equivalent string value.

The codenamize argument can be either a simple string or integer argument…

codenamize(1);
// 'familiar-grand'

codenamize('1');
// 'familiar-grand'

codenamize('11:22:33:44:55:66');
// 'craven-delivery'

… or an options object argument.

codenamize({ seed: '1' });
// 'familiar-grand'

codenamize({ seed: '11:22:33:44:55:66' });
// 'craven-delivery'

classic mode

Classic mode uses options.adjectiveCount to determine the composition of the codename output, which will be made up of the specified number of adjectives, followed by a noun. Note that prepending more adjectives retains the existing codename words.

codenamize({ seed: '11:22:33:44:55:66', adjectiveCount: 2 });
// 'separate-craven-delivery'

codenamize({ seed: '11:22:33:44:55:66', adjectiveCount: 3 });
// 'unsuitable-separate-craven-delivery'

particles mode

Instead of options.adjectiveCount, the options.particles argument can alternatively be used to specify a more precise composition for the produced codename. The argument is an array of word categories which will be appended together to produce the output codename.

> codenamize({ seed: '11:22:33:44:55:66', particles: ['adjective', 'noun'] });
'craven-delivery'

codenamize({ seed: '11:22:33:44:55:66', particles: ['noun', 'adjective', 'noun'] });
// 'satisfaction-craven-delivery'

other options

These options can be used in either classic, or particles mode.

options.maxItemChars specifies the maximum length of each codename word.

codenamize({ seed: '11:22:33:44:55:66', adjectiveCount: 2, maxItemChars: 3 });
// 'hot-shy-age'

codenamize({ seed: '11:22:33:44:55:66', adjectiveCount: 2, maxItemChars: 4 });
// 'even-cute-face'

options.capitalize determines whether each word in the codename will be capitalized.

codenamize({ seed: '11:22:33:44:55:66', capitalize: true });
// 'Craven-Delivery'

options.separator specifies the character(s) used to combine the parts of the codename.

codenamize({ seed: '11:22:33:44:55:66', separator: ':' });
// 'craven:delivery'

Extending the codename vocabulary

Straight out of the box, Codenamize emulates the behaviour of the original Python library, and contains the same noun and adjective lists. Generated codenames with either library should be identical for a given input.

Codenamize can be extended with extra word lists with the use function. The use function takes a single object argument with keys representing each category of word, and values being arrays of words corresponding to the category.

codenamize.use({ color: [ 'red', 'green', 'blue' ], animal: [ 'pig', 'dog', 'cat' ] });

codenamize({ seed: '11:22:33:44:55:66', particles: ['color', 'animal'] });
// 'blue-pig'

Note that in a real situation, a much more extensive list of words would likely be provide for each catagory of word.

Other versions

• Codenamize - Python (the original!)
• Concode - Ruby