PHP Functions Essential Reference

mt_rand

int mt_rand(int min, int max) 

Generates a random integer using the Mersenne Twister algorithm.

Returns:

Random integer

Description:

Calling this function without any arguments produces a random number between zero and the system’s maximum Mersenne Twister value. The maximum value can be found by calling mt_getrandmax(). Passing both the min and max arguments generates a number within the provided range.

Whereas rand() uses the standard libc rand() function, which can be slow and doesn’t have a set of known characteristics, mt_rand() uses the Mersenne Twister algorithm to generate a random number that’s more suitable for cryptography because of its known characteristics. This function can also be up to four times faster than the standard ...