function

crypto.generateKey

function generateKey(
type: 'hmac' | 'aes',
options: SecretKeyOptions,
callback: (err: null | Error, key: KeyObject) => void
): void;

Asynchronously generates a new random secret key of the given length. The type will determine which validations will be performed on the length.

const {
  generateKey,
} = await import('node:crypto');

generateKey('hmac', { length: 512 }, (err, key) => {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log(key.export().toString('hex'));  // 46e..........620
});

The size of a generated HMAC key should not exceed the block size of the underlying hash function. See createHmac for more information.

@param type

The intended use of the generated secret key. Currently accepted values are 'hmac' and 'aes'.

Referenced types

interface SecretKeyOptions