Show HN: I built an AI dataset generator

Summary

AI Dataset Generator Generate realistic datasets for demos, learning, and dashboards. Instantly preview data, export as CSV or SQL, and explore with Metabase. Features: Conversational prompt builder: choose business type, schema, row count, and more Real-time data preview in the browser Export as CSV (single file or multi-table ZIP) or as SQL inserts One-click Metabase launch for data exploration Prerequisites Docker (includes Docker Compose) OpenAI API key (get one at https://platform.openai.com/) Stack Next.js (App Router, TypeScript) (App Router, TypeScript) Tailwind CSS + ShadCN UI (modern, dark-themed UI) (modern, dark-themed UI) OpenAI API (GPT-4o for data generation) (GPT-4o for data generation) Metabase (Dockerized, launched on demand) Getting Started Clone the repo: git clone < your-repo-url > cd dataset-generator Create your .env file: Copy the example file and fill in your OpenAI API key: cp .env.example .env.local Then edit .env.local and add your OpenAI API key after the = sign. Start the Next.js app: npm install npm run dev The app runs at http://localhost:3000 Generate a dataset: Use the prompt builder to define your dataset. Click "Preview Data" to see a sample. Export or Explore: Download your dataset as CSV or SQL Inserts. Click "Start Metabase" to spin up Metabase in Docker. Once Metabase is ready, click "Open Metabase" to explore your data. When done, click "Stop Metabase" to shut down and clean up Docker containers. Project Structure /app/page.tsx – Main UI and prompt builder – Main UI and prompt builder /app/api/generate/route.ts – Synthetic data generator (OpenAI) – Synthetic data generator (OpenAI) /app/api/metabase/start|stop|status/route.ts – Docker orchestration for Metabase – Docker orchestration for Metabase /lib/export/ – CSV/SQL export logic – CSV/SQL export logic /docker-compose.yml – Used only for Metabase, not for the app itself Using Metabase When you click "Start Metabase", it will launch Metabase in a Docker container. Once ready...