---
title: "Open your own cluster in the simulator"
description: "Use monedula-sim-link to snapshot a real Kafka cluster, read-only, into a playground link that opens its brokers, topics and placement in free play."
url: https://monedula.dev/flock/docs/kafka-simulator/how-to/open-your-own-cluster/
---
[monedula-sim-link](/flock/sim-link/), our command-line tool, connects to your cluster read-only and prints a link that opens it in free play. [What the link shows](/flock/docs/sim-link/concepts/what-the-link-shows/) lists what it carries over.

## Before you start

- `monedula-sim-link` installed. The [sim-link overview](/flock/docs/sim-link/) has the install commands.
- A Kafka cluster you can reach. The tool only reads from it ([the read-only guarantee](/flock/docs/sim-link/concepts/read-only-guarantee/)).

## Steps

### 1. Snapshot the cluster

```bash
monedula-sim-link connect --brokers localhost:9092 --topics orders,payments
```

The command prints one line, the link. Leave out `--topics` to include every topic that is not internal.

### 2. Open the link

Paste the link into a browser. The playground opens in free play with your cluster's shape and replays its state as actions, so the result is an ordinary sandbox: [share it](/flock/docs/kafka-simulator/how-to/share-by-url/), kill its brokers, or tune its producers.

## Check it worked

The playground shows your brokers and topics. To see how each real name was mapped before you open the link, add `--dry-run`; [Preview a link before you share it](/flock/docs/sim-link/how-to/preview-with-dry-run/) explains the output.

## Related

- [See your cluster in the simulator](/flock/docs/sim-link/tutorials/see-your-cluster-in-the-simulator/) starts a local Kafka in Docker and turns it into a link, step by step.
- The [playground URL format](/flock/docs/kafka-simulator/reference/url-format/) is the grammar the tool generates.