RandomRoutingStrategy

Overview

The RandomRoutingStrategy selects gateways randomly from the available pool. This strategy provides simple load distribution without maintaining state or performing complex calculations, making it ideal for scenarios where unpredictability is desired or where simplicity is paramount.

Routing Strategy Comparison

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Strategy	Best For	Use Case	Predictability	Infrastructure Control
Random	Simple distribution	Basic load spreading, testing	Low	Medium
Fastest Ping	Real-time applications	Performance-critical apps, gaming	Medium	Low
Preferred + Fallback	Dedicated infrastructure	CDN with origin fallback, enterprise gateways	High	Maximum
Round Robin	Load balancing	Even distribution across known gateways	High	High
Static	Single gateway	Development, specific gateway requirements	Maximum	High

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How It Works

Receive Gateway List: Accept the list of available gateways
Generate Random Index: Create a random number within the gateway list range
Select Gateway: Choose the gateway at the random index
Apply Filters: Optionally filter out unhealthy or blocked gateways
Return Selection: Return the randomly selected gateway

Configuration

Basic Usage

import { RandomRoutingStrategy } from '@ar.io/wayfinder-core'

const strategy = new RandomRoutingStrategy()

With Weighted Selection

const strategy = new RandomRoutingStrategy({
  weightedSelection: true,
  weights: new Map([
    ['https://high-capacity-gateway.com', 3],
    ['https://medium-capacity-gateway.com', 2],
    ['https://low-capacity-gateway.com', 1],
  ]),
})

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`seed`	`number`	`undefined`	Seed for random number generator (for reproducible results)
`weightedSelection`	`boolean`	`false`	Use weighted random selection
`weights`	`Map<string, number>`	`new Map()`	Gateway weights for weighted selection
`logger`	`Logger`	`defaultLogger`	Optional logger instance

Integration with Wayfinder

import { Wayfinder, RandomRoutingStrategy } from '@ar.io/wayfinder-core'

const wayfinder = new Wayfinder({
  routingSettings: {
    strategy: new RandomRoutingStrategy(),
  },
})

Use Cases

Load Testing and Development

Perfect for testing applications with unpredictable gateway selection patterns.

const testStrategy = new RandomRoutingStrategy({
  seed: 42, // Reproducible randomness for testing
})

Simple Load Distribution

Ideal for applications that need basic load spreading without complex logic.

const loadStrategy = new RandomRoutingStrategy({
  weightedSelection: true,
  weights: new Map([
    ['https://primary-gateway.com', 3],
    ['https://secondary-gateway.com', 1],
  ]),
})

Backup Strategy

Useful as a fallback strategy when other routing methods fail.

import {
  PreferredWithFallbackRoutingStrategy,
  RandomRoutingStrategy,
} from '@ar.io/wayfinder-core'

const strategy = new PreferredWithFallbackRoutingStrategy({
  preferredGateway: 'https://my-gateway.com',
  fallbackStrategy: new RandomRoutingStrategy(),
})

Best Practices

Use for Testing: Great for testing applications with unpredictable traffic patterns
Consider Weighted Selection: Use weights to favor higher-capacity gateways
Combine with Other Strategies: Works well as a fallback strategy
Set Seeds for Testing: Use reproducible randomness in test environments
Monitor Distribution: Track which gateways are selected over time

The RandomRoutingStrategy is ideal for applications that need simple, unpredictable load distribution or as a fallback strategy for more complex routing methods.