Simulator

The simulator is the fastest way to get data flowing - realistic sample events, no real backend. Use it to build and test a surface or warm query before a real source is ready.

Add one

Drag a Simulator onto the canvas (or ask Azi: "add a simulator for signups") and wire it to a connection. Open the Inspector to configure it.

Configure

Setting	What it does
Name	A label for the simulator
Message interval (ms)	Time between messages - default 30000, minimum 15000
Messages per device	Total to send; 0 = keep going
Variables	Values your template can reference (e.g. random ranges)
Message template	The shape of each event (JSON)

The template uses simple placeholders, e.g. a random value in a range:

{ "signups": "{{random 0 50}}", "activeUsers": "{{random 100 500}}" }

deviceId and timestamp are added automatically.

Verify

Watch the Live Stream panel (or tail_telemetry from any AI) for incoming events:

{
  "deviceId": "ProductData",
  "signups": 12,
  "activeUsers": 318,
  "timestamp": "2026-06-05T10:30:00Z"
}

Then

Route it to a Surface and crystallize a Warm Query. Switch to a real source (API Source or live device) when you're ready - the surface and queries stay the same.