Simulated And Loopback

Which one should you start with?

Driver	Start with it when	What it proves
loopback	you want the fastest %Q -> %I local feedback path	mappings and basic runtime control work
simulated	you want software-only process behavior without hardware	runtime, scenarios, and test workflows work

Why start here

• fastest path to first success
• safest early commissioning loop
• ideal for tests and agent-driven workflows

Minimal loopback config

[io]
driver = "loopback"
params = {}

[[io.safe_state]]
address = "%QX0.0"
value = "FALSE"

Minimal simulated config

[io]
driver = "simulated"
params = {}

[[io.safe_state]]
address = "%QX0.0"
value = "FALSE"

Transitioning to real hardware later

1. keep the same ST logic and VAR_CONFIG mapping
2. replace the driver/backend in io.toml
3. preserve safe-state outputs
4. re-run validate, then commission against the real transport

Good uses

• tutorials and onboarding
• CI and deterministic test loops
• agent-driven diagnose/build/reload workflows
• early HMI or runtime-cloud integration without hardware

Next

• Simulation
• Driver Matrix