random — generate random numbers

This module implements a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG).

Note

The following notation is used for intervals:

  • () are open interval brackets and do not include their endpoints. For example, (0, 1) means greater than 0 and less than 1. In set notation: (0, 1) = {x | 0 < x < 1}.

  • [] are closed interval brackets which include all their limit points. For example, [0, 1] means greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 1. In set notation: [0, 1] = {x | 0 <= x <= 1}.

Functions for integers

random.getrandbits(n: int) → int

Return an integer with n random bits (0 <= n <= 32).

random.randint(a: int, b: int) → int

Return a random integer in the range [a, b].

random.randrange(start: int, stop: int | None = None, step: int = 1) → int

The first form returns a random integer from the range [0, stop). The second form returns a random integer from the range [start, stop). The third form returns a random integer from the range [start, stop) in steps of step. For instance, calling randrange(1, 10, 2) will return odd numbers between 1 and 9 inclusive.

Functions for floats

random.random() → float

Return a random floating point number in the range [0.0, 1.0).

random.uniform(a: float, b: float) → float

Return a random floating point number N such that a <= N <= b for a <= b, and b <= N <= a for b < a.

Other Functions

random.seed(n: int | None = None, /) → None

Initialise the random number generator module with the seed n, which should be an integer. When no argument (or None) is passed in, the PRNG is initialised with a true random number from the hardware random number generator.

random.choice(sequence: Any) → Any

Chooses and returns one item at random from sequence (tuple, list or any object that supports the subscript operation).