The Placeholder Tools that Boost Productivity for Developers and Designers

Have you ever worked on a layout design and came across thinking if only I knew some generator to create some temporary samples for me? This can be attributed to anything - sample text, images, brand logo, profile pictures, JSON data, and more.

In this article, I compiled a list of useful placeholder generators, so that you can speed up your development workflow. All you have to do is copy the sample data generated and paste it into your project where you want to use it.

To make it easier for you, I sorted them across categories, provided a direct link, a concise description, and a preview image for each, so you can get an initial impression on the fly.

Text

1. Lorem Ipsum

Industry's standard dummy text generator.

2. Loripsum.net

An improved version of Lorem Ipsum with options to include links, lists, code blocks, headings, add text styling, and other customization options.

Images

3. Picsum Photos

Provides random or specific images. Specify the desired image size at the end of the request URL. Grayscale and blur effects can also be applied to any image.

4. Placeholder.com

Generates placeholder boxes for layouts. Set background colors, the text used, and other parameters by directly including them in the URL.

Logos

5. Logo Ipsum

Ready to use replacement logos in various styles & compositions for your design. Automatically generates the SVG code for each with just a click on them.

Avatars

6. DiceBear

Avatar library for designers and developers. You can choose between lovely designed characters. Provides API that you can use right away.

7. Personas

A playful avatar generator for the modern age.

8. Avataaars

Allows creating custom avatars by providing specific parameters or using random options till you come up with something you like.

JSON data

9. Random User

An open-source API for generating random user data.

10. JSON Placeholder

REST API that you can use whenever you need some fake data.

11. Fake JSON

Create JSON responses you need with an advanced JSON Editor built-in.

Code blocks

12. Faux Code

Turn real code (Github Gist) into faux code (SVG image).

Entertaining

13. Place Kitten

A service for getting pictures of kittens for use as placeholders in your designs.

14. CupCake Ipsum

Sugar-coated Lorem Ipsum generator.

15. RoboHash

Provides unique, robot/alien/monster/whatever images for any text.

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