The category
What is a product simulation?
A product simulation is a complete, runnable head start on a software product: full documentation, a working codebase, and a runnable mock database, that a team can build forward from, instead of starting from a slide deck, a static prototype, or a blank repo.
Why now
The gap between an idea and a real build just collapsed.
For decades, getting from an idea to something runnable meant months of discovery and a six-figure build. So founders settled for slide decks and clickable prototypes, then hoped a development team could fill in the rest. Most of that work was thrown away.
AI changed the economics. The specification, the architecture write-up, and the initial codebase that used to take a team months can now be produced in weeks. A product simulation is what you build with that new speed: not a throwaway artifact, but a real, documented, runnable foundation your team owns.
What it is made of
Three things, all runnable.
Documentation
Every feature, flow, and data rule specced end to end, so whoever builds next inherits clarity, not guesswork.
Working codebase
A real GitHub repository your team can clone and run, with the core of the product already in place.
Runnable mock database
A Supabase database with realistic seed data, so the product works the moment it is opened.
How it compares
Prototype vs PoC vs MVP vs product simulation
Common questions
Is a product simulation the same as an MVP?
No. An MVP is a live product you put in front of users to validate the market. A product simulation comes earlier: it is the documented, runnable foundation your team builds the MVP from, without the full build cost or timeline.
Do I own everything?
Yes. The documentation, the codebase, and the database are yours to keep, extend, and hand to any team. No lock-in.
Why does this make sense now?
AI compresses the months of specification and scaffolding that used to make an early, runnable foundation impractical. The judgment, architecture, and product sense still come from experience, but the time-to-something-real has collapsed from months to weeks.
Want a product simulation of your idea?
Describe the product or problem and get a clear, flat-rate scope plus a runnable head start your team can own.
Start a project