# state

> Gets or sets the full internal state of the random number generator.

## Definition

* **Type:** Property
* **Namespace:** [UnityEngine](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unityengine.md)
* **Assembly:** UnityEngine.CoreModule

```csharp
public static Random.State state { get; set; }
```

### Remarks

This property can be used to save and restore a previously saved state of the random number generator. Note that `state` is serializable, so that [determinism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deterministic_algorithm) can be preserved across sessions. Determinism is an important trait in many scenarios, such as multiplayer games, reproducible simulations, and unit testing.

Generator state can be (re)-initialized in two ways:

1. Call [Random.InitState](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unityengine/random/initstate.md) with a simple integer "seed". This is a one-way operation and cannot be retrieved.

2. Setting [Random.state](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unityengine/random/state-1.md) using a [Random.State](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unityengine/random/state.md) previously retrieved from this same property. This type cannot be constructed by the user.

See the following example for an explanation of how these work.

```csharp
using UnityEngine;

public class ExampleClass : MonoBehaviour
{
    void Start()
    {
        const int initialSeed = 1234;

        Random.InitState(initialSeed); // cannot be retrieved

        PrintRandom("Step 1");
        PrintRandom("Step 2");

        Random.State stateBeforeStep3 = Random.state; // can be serialized

        PrintRandom("Step 3");
        PrintRandom("Step 4");

        Random.state = stateBeforeStep3;

        PrintRandom("Step 5");
        PrintRandom("Step 6");

        Random.InitState(initialSeed);

        PrintRandom("Step 7");
        PrintRandom("Step 8");
    }

    static void PrintRandom(string label) =>
        Debug.Log($"{label} - RandomValue {Random.Range(0, 100)}");
}

/*
Output:

Step 1 - RandomValue 38
Step 2 - RandomValue 76
Step 3 - RandomValue 69
Step 4 - RandomValue 11
Step 5 - RandomValue 69
Step 6 - RandomValue 11
Step 7 - RandomValue 38
Step 8 - RandomValue 76
*/
```

The values from step 5 and 6 will be equal to those from step 3 and 4 because the internal [Random.state](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unityengine/random/state-1.md) of the generator was restored to what we saved in `stateBeforeStep3`. Also, the values from step 7 and 8 will be equal to those from step 1 and 2 because we are resetting the generator state with `initialSeed` via [Random.InitState](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unityengine/random/initstate.md), which leaves the generator in the exact same state as right before step 1.