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How to Create fake data using Faker

Faker is library in Python and it exists for Java as well.

Create Fake Records in Database

Following script will insert fake records in database table

from datetime import datetime as dt
import sqlite3
import random

from faker import Faker

# Create a Faker instance
fake = Faker()

# Connect to the SQLite database
conn = sqlite3.connect(r'/home/john/db-app-dummy-v1.sqlite')
cursor = conn.cursor()

# Generate and insert fake data into the 'users' table

for i in range(10):  # Insert 10 fake records as an example

    uid = fake.bothify("uSr00000#??##?#?")      # random alpha-numeric
    name =  fake.name()
    emp_number = 'EMP'+fake.numerify('########')
    dob = fake.date_time()

    sql = f'''
    INSERT INTO app_users (
        uid, name, emp_number, dob
    ) VALUES (
        "{uid}", "{name}", "{emp_number}", "{dob}"
    );
    '''
    print (sql)

    # cursor.execute(sql)


# Commit the changes and close the connection
conn.commit()
conn.close()

Create Fake function FLASK

Asuming you are using flask in app.py and it has db and Employee as ORM

import random
import sys
from faker import Faker
from app import db, Employee
from datetime import datetime

def create_fake_employees(n):
    """Generate fake employees."""
    faker = Faker()
    for i in range(n):
        employee = Employee(
            created_date = datetime.utcnow(),
            department_id = faker.bothify(text='Dept_????-########'),
            manager = faker.name()
        )
        db.session.add(employee)
    db.session.commit()
    print(f'Added {n} fake employees to the database.')


if __name__ == '__main__':
    if len(sys.argv) <= 1:
        print('Pass the number of employees you want to create as an argument.')
        sys.exit(1)
    create_fake_employees(int(sys.argv[1]))

Execution

$ python -m flask --app app.py shell
>>> from create_fake_employees import create_fake_employees
>>> create_fake_employees(10)

Snippets

Below are ways to generate random things

# Pick from a list, make choices

my_categories = ['dog', 'cat', ... , 'ant']

animal_category = random.choice(my_categories)
metric = random.choice(['abc', 'pqr', 'xyz'])      # inline
relationship_name = fake.name() + random.choice([' Relationship', ' Family', ''])


# Random numbers, in range, between

value_ = random.randint(3000,5000) * random.choice([1,-1])


# bothify inserts random alpha for ? and random number for #
crm_id = fake.bothify("CR0######")
emp_num = 'EMP'+fake.numerify('########')
team_uid = fake.bothify("t35qG00000#??##?#?")
office_id = 'OFC_'+str(random.randint(20, 80))

banker_name = None

week_number = random.randint(1,2)
wc = [1, 8]
week_commencing = dt(2024,1,wc[week_number-1])
load_datetime = dt.now()
load_datetime = fake.date_time()


user_name = fake.name()
user_all_ids = user_uid+'|'+user_name.replace(' ','.').lower()
team_owner_id = user_name.replace(' ','.').lower()+"@example.com"
team_name = "Team " + fake.name()


# Locale Settings
fake = Faker('en-in')  # Locale ID (LCID) Chart
2025-01-12 January 12, 2025