If you are manually coming up with dummy data to test your applications then you are missing a trick. Learn about 6 great fake/dummy data generators that you can make use of that will allow you to write software faster while decreasing the chances of bugs making it into your codebase
If you are anything like me, whenever I need to create some dummy data myself, I typically end up creating data that does not feel overly life-like, that's simplistic in nature and that doesn't fully test the boundaries of the system as much as it could!
Instead of wasting time trying to create good test data yourself, your applications will benefit from you generating your test and dummy data using a generator. Using a dummy data generator will mean that you will be testing your application using more lifelike data. This in turn can help you to spot bugs earlier on. The best news is that all the tools listed in this article are completely free, so you won't need to spend a dime. If you want to learn what the best dummy-generating tools are, read on 🔥🔥🔥
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In order to give you a well-rounded list of tools, I thought it would be better to define several different categories of data generators and then for each category my aim was to find the best one or two tools. For this article, I decided to look for the best online tool, the best text and image generators, the best Javascript package and the best .NET tools.
We will start off by reviewing the generators you can access via a web browser. The benefit of knowing about tools that do not require any type of installation is accessibility. You can use these types of tools on any machine quickly, meaning there's no excuse to not use one!
As part of the research I undertook, I reviewed a number of other online data generates including cobbl, and Json Schema Faker, however, in my opinion, the two tools I've listed below were the best!
Best Online Data Generators
Mockaroo: If you haven't come across Mockoroo yet, then you are in for a treat! Mockoroo is an online tool that allows you to define a data schema. This schema can be built up from different columns. For each column you define, you will also need to decide what its underlining data type should be.
In terms of data types, Mockaroo allows you to pick from over about 50 different types. These types range from fields like postcodes, latitudes, dates, colours, credit card numbers, and lots more.
After you are happy with your schema, you can generate data which will be created using the corresponding column types.
Generatedata: Generatedata.com is an online tool for generating mock data. The UI is probably a little nicer than Mocokaroo, however, it provides significantly fewer data types compared to Mockoraa.
Generatedata.com provides you with 8 different data types to choose from, including names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, and dates. After generating data, you can export that data to either a CSV, JSON, SQL, or XML format.
From my testing, I would say that the generated data feels realistic, with names that sound authentic, addresses that resemble genuine locations, and phone numbers that follow valid patterns.
Generatedata.com also provides options for randomizing the data, allowing you to create diverse sets quickly. This randomness adds an extra layer of realism and variety to the generated data.
📁 Access GenerateData.com Here
Best Rest API Data Generators
Instead of embedding some test data in your application, you might prefer to call a fake REST API instead. Calling an API directly will allow you to test at a deeper level of your application. The best fake AIPI that I have found is fakestoreapi.com. This API has end-points for products, cart items, users and login tokens. Using code similar to the example below, you can see how easy it is to call the service:
My main criticism of this service is that you can not customize the fields and the data shape that each end-point returns. Whenever I have been designing something, it is unlikely that your code will access data using exactly the same data shape as the API.
Image Generator
The next category of data generation to focus on is images. If you are a web developer like me, being able to quickly create dummy images can save you lots of time. Before we get to the winners, it's worth mentioning one contender that didn't quite make the list (Acme Logos)[http://acmelogos.com/]. If you need a smile list of logos to use, you can download a pack from here.
Picsum: If you are a web developer, there are often times that you will need to add a test of what a web page looks at with an image. Instead of using a site like Unsplash and potentially uploading or embedding a real image that hasn't been optimized to the size you need to work with, sometimes it is much easier to link to an online image generator instead. This is where Picsum Photos comes to the rescue.
Instead of a normal stock image, if you are looking for a more simplistic black-and-white image dummyimage.com will be a better option for you. Just like Picsum Photo you can set the height and width of the image by passing in params within the URL. The only major difference is that the end image will be a simple black-and-white image instead of a flashier-looking stock image! I have used this service for years whenever I am designing web templates and it definitely makes life much easier!
Best Javascript Data Generators
The winner is...
Faker: Faker is an extremely handy open-source NPM package that Javascript developers can install to generate realistic and meaningful mock data.
If you go to the Faker API reference page (located here, you will likely be pretty impressed with Faker's extensive range of data types. YOu can generate lots of different types of data, including names, addresses, phone numbers Git SHA codes, zodiac signs, vehicles, words, animals and more. You can even generate some classic Lorem Ipsum text.
The documentation for Faker is solid and comprehensive. It contains lots of code examples and usage guidelines for each data type to make it easy for you to quickly implement any end-point. It is also worth mentioning that on top of normal data, Faker supports multi-language data.
Faker provides a good level of customization. You can tweak various parameters and options so you can generate data in a format that aligns with your needs.
Best .NET Data Generators
The winner is...
Bogus: Bogus is an open-source library aimed at .NET developers. Bogus supports C#, F#, and VB.NET. Just like Faker, the data generated by Bogus feels realistic and contextually relevant data.
Bogus boasts an extensive collection of data types, covering everything from names, addresses, and phone numbers to email addresses, dates, and even random Lorem Ipsum text. This comprehensive range of data types ensures that developers have access to all the necessary tools to generate diverse and meaningful mock data. Just like Faker, Bogus support for localization, meaning you can generate data specific to different cultures and languages,
The documentation accompanying (which can be found here) Bogus is also extensive. It provides clear examples, code snippets, and usage guidelines that make it easy for developers to get started with the library. You get links to blog posts and Youtube videos on how to use it. The documentation also covers all of the Bogus package's advanced features
Happy coding 🤘
