method for creating a unique validation key/number

Question

I'm using django for a web-magazine with subscriber-content. when a user purchases a subscription, the site will create a validation key, and send it to the user email address. The validation key would be added to a list of "valid keys" until it is used.

What is the best method for creating a simple yet unique key? Can someone suggest a standard python library for key-creation/validation/ect?

This might be a very simple question, but I'm very new. ;)

Answer 1

I'd recommend using a GUID. They are quickly becoming industry standard for this kind of thing.

See how to create them here: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/534839/how-to-create-a-guid-in-python

Answer 2

Well, you can always use a GUID. As you said it would be stored as a valid key.

Answer 3

As other posters mentioned, you are looking for a GUID, of which the most popular implemntation UUID (see here) . Django extensions (see here) offer a UUID field just for this purpose.