Python Password Generator

What Is a Password Generator?

A Password Generator is a program that creates random passwords for us. We tell it how long the password should be. We tell it which types of characters to include — uppercase letters, lowercase letters, digits, and symbols. And the program creates a random password that meets our requirements.

Think of it like a machine that creates keys. Each key is unique and strong. We do not have to think of a password ourselves. The machine does it for us.

Password generators are important because weak passwords are easy to guess. Strong passwords protect our accounts. And a generator can create passwords that are much stronger than anything we could think of.

Features of Our Python Password Generator

Our Password Generator will have these features:

• Ask for password length
• Ask which character types to include
• Generate a random password
• Check password strength
• Show the result

Project Folder Structure

We will create a folder for our project. Inside it, we will have one Python file.

password_generator/
    generator.py

There is no data file for this project. The program just generates passwords on demand.

Let us set up the project in VS Code.

Setting Up the Project in VS Code

How to Create the Password Generator in Python (Step by Step)

We will write the code in small steps. Before each step, we will explain what we are doing and why. We will mention which file we are editing (always generator.py in this project).

import random
import string

def generate_password(length, use_upper, use_lower, use_digits, use_symbols):
    characters = ""
    if use_upper:
        characters += string.ascii_uppercase
    if use_lower:
        characters += string.ascii_lowercase
    if use_digits:
        characters += string.digits
    if use_symbols:
        characters += string.punctuation

    if not characters:
        return None

    password = "".join(random.choice(characters) for _ in range(length))
    return password

def check_strength(password):
    score = 0
    if len(password) >= 8:
        score += 1
    if len(password) >= 12:
        score += 1
    if any(c.isupper() for c in password):
        score += 1
    if any(c.islower() for c in password):
        score += 1
    if any(c.isdigit() for c in password):
        score += 1
    if any(c in string.punctuation for c in password):
        score += 1

    if score <= 2:
        return "Weak"
    elif score <= 4:
        return "Medium"
    else:
        return "Strong"

def main():
    print("===== PASSWORD GENERATOR =====")
    try:
        length = int(input("Enter password length: "))
    except ValueError:
        print("Please enter a valid number")
        return

    use_upper = input("Include uppercase letters? (y/n): ").lower() == "y"
    use_lower = input("Include lowercase letters? (y/n): ").lower() == "y"
    use_digits = input("Include digits? (y/n): ").lower() == "y"
    use_symbols = input("Include symbols? (y/n): ").lower() == "y"

    password = generate_password(length, use_upper, use_lower, use_digits, use_symbols)
    if password:
        print(f"\nGenerated Password: {password}")
        print(f"Strength: {check_strength(password)}")
    else:
        print("No character types selected. Cannot generate password.")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

Complete Python Password Generator Code

Now our complete generator.py file looks like this.

import random
import string

def generate_password(length, use_upper, use_lower, use_digits, use_symbols):
    characters = ""
    if use_upper:
        characters += string.ascii_uppercase
    if use_lower:
        characters += string.ascii_lowercase
    if use_digits:
        characters += string.digits
    if use_symbols:
        characters += string.punctuation

    if not characters:
        return None

    password = "".join(random.choice(characters) for _ in range(length))
    return password

def check_strength(password):
    score = 0
    if len(password) >= 8:
        score += 1
    if len(password) >= 12:
        score += 1
    if any(c.isupper() for c in password):
        score += 1
    if any(c.islower() for c in password):
        score += 1
    if any(c.isdigit() for c in password):
        score += 1
    if any(c in string.punctuation for c in password):
        score += 1

    if score <= 2:
        return "Weak"
    elif score <= 4:
        return "Medium"
    else:
        return "Strong"

def main():
    print("===== PASSWORD GENERATOR =====")
    try:
        length = int(input("Enter password length: "))
    except ValueError:
        print("Please enter a valid number")
        return

    use_upper = input("Include uppercase letters? (y/n): ").lower() == "y"
    use_lower = input("Include lowercase letters? (y/n): ").lower() == "y"
    use_digits = input("Include digits? (y/n): ").lower() == "y"
    use_symbols = input("Include symbols? (y/n): ").lower() == "y"

    password = generate_password(length, use_upper, use_lower, use_digits, use_symbols)
    if password:
        print(f"\nGenerated Password: {password}")
        print(f"Strength: {check_strength(password)}")
    else:
        print("No character types selected. Cannot generate password.")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

How to Run the Password Generator in VS Code

We have two ways to run the program.

python generator.py

Example Output

===== PASSWORD GENERATOR =====
Enter password length: 16
Include uppercase letters? (y/n): y
Include lowercase letters? (y/n): y
Include digits? (y/n): y
Include symbols? (y/n): y

Generated Password: k#9Lm!2pQ@8vR$4x
Strength: Strong

That is our Password Generator. It is simple but complete. And we built it entirely in VS Code.

Exercises for Practice

Try these exercises to improve the Password Generator.

1. Save generated passwords to a file with a timestamp.
2. Generate multiple passwords at once.
3. Add a passphrase generator that uses random words instead of characters.
4. Add an option to exclude similar-looking characters like l, 1, O, 0.
5. Add a copy-to-clipboard feature using the pyperclip module.
6. Add a strength meter that shows a progress bar.
7. Add a menu that lets the user generate another password without restarting the program.

Now let us build the next project: the File Organizer Script. We will also use VS Code for that.

Next, we will build a Python File Organizer Script that automatically sorts files into folders.