# Random.Pcg for Elm

> "The generation of random numbers is too important to be left to chance." – Robert R. Coveyou

An alternate random number generator built around four principles:

* **Statistical Quality.** If you use any seed less than 53,668 and generate one bool, it will be `True` – if you're
using core's `Random` module. More sophisticated statistical tests spot patterns in the "random" numbers almost
immediately. Would you want to trust the accuracy of your [fuzz
tests](http://package.elm-lang.org/packages/elm-community/elm-test/latest/) to such a flawed algorithm? This library
produces far less predictable and biased output, especially if you use thousands of random numbers. See
`test/dieharder` for more details.

* **Useful features.** This library exports `constant` and `andMap`, which are conspicuously absent from core, along
with other helpful functions for composing generators. Particularly interesting is `independentSeed`, which allows for
lazy lists and isolated components to generate as much randomness as they need, when they need it.

* **Performace.** This library will generate floats about 3.5 times faster than core, and ints do not regress. These
figures stand to improve pending some optimizations to the compiler. You can see the [full
benchmark results](https://github.com/mgold/elm-random-pcg/issues/5#issuecomment-236398261).

* **Compatibility.** This library is a drop-in replacement for core's Random module. Specifically, you
can replace `import Random` with `import Random.Pcg as Random` and everything will continue to work. (The one exception is third party
libraries like [elm-random-extra](http://package.elm-lang.org/packages/NoRedInk/elm-random-extra/latest/Random-Extra).)

This is an implementation of [PCG](http://www.pcg-random.org/) by M. E. O'Neil. The generator is **not cryptographically
secure**.

Please report bugs, feature requests, and other issues [on GitHub](https://github.com/mgold/elm-random-pcg/issues/new).

## Changelog (major versions only)
### 3.0.0
* Change implementation to use the RXS-M-SH variant of PCG. Now much faster and not much worse statistically.
* Remove `initialSeed2`, since there are now only 32 bits of state.
* `Random.Pcg.Interop.fission` has been changed to a (core) generator of (PCG) seeds.
* Add `generate` to match core 4.x API. Implemented by Richard Feldman.

### 2.0.0
* Upgraded for 0.17.
* `generate` renamed `step` to match core 4.x API.
* Module renamed `Random.Pcg` from `Random.PCG`.
* `split` has been removed; use `independentSeed`.
* `minInt` and `maxInt` values changed to match core.