grunt-ipsum

Generate lots of fake data.

Getting Started

This plugin requires Grunt ~0.4.0

If you haven't used Grunt before, be sure to check out the Getting Started guide, as it explains how to create a Gruntfile as well as install and use Grunt plugins. Once you're familiar with that process, you may install this plugin with this command:

npm install grunt-ipsum --save-dev

Once the plugin has been installed, it may be enabled inside your Gruntfile with this line of JavaScript:

grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-ipsum');

Ipsum task

Run this task with the grunt ipsum command.

Task targets, files and options may be specified according to the grunt Configuring tasks guide.

Options

dest String

Path to save output file.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	dest : 'path/to/file.json'
});

template Object|Array

The schema of fake data to generate.

For all available keys, see the docs below.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		name : {
			first : '{%= ipsum.firstName %}',
			last : '{%= ipsum.lastName %}',
		},
		street : '{%= ipsum.streetName %}',
		city : '{%= ipsum.city %}',
		state : '{%= ipsum.usState %}',
	}
});
// Output
{
	"name": {
		"first": "Janie",
		"last": "Mertz"
	},
	"street": "Ardith Brook",
	"city": "Hertafurt",
	"state": "Rhode Island"
}

Each value is compiled with _.template using the {% and %} delimiters. Both the grunt template and underscore.string helpers are available in this context.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		date : '{%= grunt.template.date(847602000000, "yyyy-mm-dd") %}',
		slug : '{%= _.slugify(ipsum.name) %}'
	}
});
// Output
{
	"date": "1996-11-09",
	"slug": "hobart-torp"
}

The current object is available via the self keyword. Note that this will only work after previous keys are set.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		name : '{%= ipsum.name %}',
		slug : '{%= _.slugify(self.name) %}',
		notyetdefined : '{%= self.after %}',
		after : 'needs to be before notyetdefined'
	}
});
// Output
{
	"name": "Stephen Abshire",
	"slug": "stephen-abshire",
	"notyetdefined": "",
	"after": "needs to be before notyetdefined"
}

repeat Number|Array

The number of times to repeat the template.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		name : '{%= ipsum.name %}'
	},
	repeat : 5
});
// Outputs
[
	{
		"name": "Lori Hegmann"
	},
	{
		"name": "Vernie Deckow"
	},
	{
		"name": "Karlee Schowalter"
	},
	{
		"name": "Mya Hahn"
	},
	{
		"name": "Colin Strosin"
	}
]

If the value is an array, the template will be repeated a random number of times between the two values.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		name : '{%= ipsum.name %}'
	},
	repeat : [1, 20]
});
// Outputs 1 to 20 results
[
	{
		"name": "Lori Hegmann"
	},
	// ...
	{
		"name": "Colin Strosin"
	}
]

repetitions Object

The number of times to repeat nested items.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		name : '{%= ipsum.name %}',
		children : {
			name : '{%= ipsum.name %}'
		}
	},
	repetitions : {
		'children' : 3
	}
});
// Outputs
{
	"name": "Rosanna Predovic",
	"children": [
		{
			"name": "Mr. Karlie Jast"
		},
		{
			"name": "Sabina Hoppe"
		},
		{
			"name": "Jordon Friesen"
		}
	]
}

This also works for deep nested paths.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		name : '{%= ipsum.name %}',
		children : {
			child_name : '{%= ipsum.name %}',
			friends : {
				friend_name : '{%= ipsum.name %}'
			}
		}
	},
	repetitions : {
		'children' : 2,
		'children.friends' : 3
	}
});
// Outputs
{
	"name": "Johnnie Kutch",
	"children": [
		{
			"child_name": "Ms. Charlene Jacobi",
			"friends": [
				{
					"friend_name": "Martin Hilpert"
				},
				{
					"friend_name": "Price Murray"
				},
				{
					"friend_name": "Jermain Mosciski"
				}
			]
		},
		{
			"child_name": "Barrett Connelly",
			"friends": [
				{
					"friend_name": "Mrs. Ethel Cremin"
				},
				{
					"friend_name": "Weldon Muller"
				},
				{
					"friend_name": "Aurelia Parisian"
				}
			]
		}
	]

As with the repeat option, if the value is an array, a random number will be chosen between the two values.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		name : '{%= ipsum.name %}',
		children : {
			name : '{%= ipsum.name %}'
		}
	},
	repetitions : {
		'children' : [1, 10]
	}
});
// Outputs
{
	"name": "Rosanna Predovic",
	"children": [ // 1 to 10 children
		{
			"name": "Mr. Karlie Jast"
		},
		// ...
		{
			"name": "Jordon Friesen"
		}
	]
}

Template keys and examples

Much of the data here is generated by Marak/Faker.js.

Users

Companies

Addresses

Images

Each of the image options can accept two parameters, width and height.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		thumb : '{%= ipsum.placeKitten(400, 300) %}'
	}
});
// Outputs
{
	"thumb": "http://placekitten.com/400/300"
}

If an array is used, a number will be chosen within that range.

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		thumb : '{%= ipsum.placeKitten([10, 40], [500, 600]) %}'
	}
});
// Outputs
{
	"thumb": "http://placekitten.com/23/574"
}

The range defaults to [100, 500].

grunt.config('ipsum.mytask', {
	template : {
		thumb : '{%= ipsum.placeKitten %}'
	}
});
// Outputs
{
	"thumb": "http://placekitten.com/246/437"
}