+## Prerequisites
+
+### Windows
+
+- [Chocolatey](https://chocolatey.org/):
+
+```powershell
+choco install -y nodejs-lts
+```
+
+### MacOSX
+
+- [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/):
+
+```shell
+brew install node@16
+```
+
+### GNU/Linux:
+
+- [NodeSource](https://github.com/nodesource/distributions) Node.js Binary Distributions for version 16.X
+
+## Configuration files syntax
+
+All configuration files are in the JSON standard format.
+
+**Configuration files list**:
+
+- charging stations simulator configuration: [src/assets/config.json](src/assets/config.json);
+- charging station configuration templates: [src/assets/station-templates](src/assets/station-templates);
+- charging station configurations: [dist/assets/configurations](dist/assets/configurations);
+- charging station RFID tags lists: [src/assets](src/assets).
+
+The charging stations simulator's configuration parameters must be within the `src/assets/config.json` file. A charging station simulator configuration template file is available at [src/assets/config-template.json](src/assets/config-template.json).
+
+All charging station configuration templates are in the directory [src/assets/station-templates](src/assets/station-templates).
+
+A list of RFID tags must be defined for the automatic transaction generator with a default location and name: `src/assets/authorization-tags.json`. A template file is available at [src/assets/authorization-tags-template.json](src/assets/authorization-tags-template.json).
+
+**Configuration files hierarchy and priority**:
+
+1. charging station configuration: [dist/assets/configurations](dist/assets/configurations);
+2. charging station configuration template: [src/assets/station-templates](src/assets/station-templates);
+3. charging stations simulator configuration: [src/assets/config.json](src/assets/config.json).
+
+The charging stations simulator have an automatic configuration files reload feature at change for:
+
+- charging stations simulator configuration;
+- charging station configuration templates;
+- charging station authorization RFID tags lists.
+
+But the modifications to test have to be done to the files in the build result directory [dist/assets](dist/assets). Once the modifications are finished, they have to be reported or copied to the matching files in the build source directory [src/assets](src/assets) to ensure they will be taken into account at next build.
+
+### Charging stations simulator configuration
+
+**src/assets/config.json**:
+
+| Key | Value(s) | Default Value | Value type | Description |
+| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| supervisionUrls | | [] | string \| string[] | string or array of global connection URIs to OCPP-J servers |
+| supervisionUrlDistribution | round-robin/random/sequential | round-robin | boolean | supervision urls distribution policy to simulated charging stations |
+| workerProcess | workerSet/staticPool/dynamicPool | workerSet | string | worker threads process type |
+| workerStartDelay | | 500 | integer | milliseconds to wait at worker threads startup (only for workerSet threads process type) |
+| elementStartDelay | | 0 | integer | milliseconds to wait at charging station startup |
+| workerPoolMinSize | | 4 | integer | worker threads pool minimum number of threads |
+| workerPoolMaxSize | | 16 | integer | worker threads pool maximum number of threads |
+| workerPoolStrategy | ROUND_ROBIN/LESS_RECENTLY_USED/... | [poolifier](https://github.com/poolifier/poolifier) default: ROUND_ROBBIN | string | worker threads pool [poolifier](https://github.com/poolifier/poolifier) worker choice strategy |
+| chargingStationsPerWorker | | 1 | integer | number of charging stations per worker threads for the `workerSet` process type |
+| logStatisticsInterval | | 60 | integer | seconds between charging stations statistics output in the logs |
+| logConsole | true/false | false | boolean | output logs on the console |
+| logFormat | | simple | string | winston log format |
+| logRotate | true/false | true | boolean | enable daily log files rotation |
+| logMaxFiles | | 7 | integer | maximum number of log files to keep |
+| logLevel | emerg/alert/crit/error/warning/notice/info/debug | info | string | winston logging level |
+| logFile | | combined.log | string | log file relative path |
+| logErrorFile | | error.log | string | error log file relative path |
+| uiWebSocketServer | | { "enabled": true, "options": { "host: "localhost", "port": 8080 } } | { enabled: boolean; options: ServerOptions; } | UI WebSocket server configuration section |
+| performanceStorage | | { "enabled": false, "type": "jsonfile", "file:///performanceRecords.json" } | { enabled: boolean; type: string; URI: string; } where type can be 'jsonfile' or 'mongodb' | performance storage configuration section |
+| stationTemplateUrls | | {}[] | { file: string; numberOfStations: number; }[] | array of charging station configuration templates URIs configuration section (charging station configuration template file name and number of stations) |
+
+#### Worker process model:
+
+- **workerSet**:
+ Worker set executing each a static number (chargingStationsPerWorker) of simulated charging stations from the total
+
+- **staticPool**:
+ Statically sized worker pool executing a static total number of simulated charging stations
+
+- **dynamicPool**:
+ Dynamically sized worker pool executing a static total number of simulated charging stations
+
+### Charging station configuration template
+
+**src/assets/station-templates/\<name\>.json**:
+
+| Key | Value(s) | Default Value | Value type | Description |
+| --------------------------------- | ---------- | --------------- | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| supervisionUrls | | '' | string \| string[] | string or array of connection URIs to OCPP-J servers |
+| supervisionUser | | '' | string | basic HTTP authentication user to OCPP-J server |
+| supervisionPassword | | '' | string | basic HTTP authentication password to OCPP-J server |
+| supervisionUrlOcppConfiguration | true/false | false | boolean | allow supervision URL configuration via a vendor OCPP parameter key |
+| supervisionUrlOcppKey | | 'ConnectionUrl' | string | the vendor string that will be used as a vendor OCPP parameter key to set the supervision URL |
+| ocppVersion | 1.6 | 1.6 | string | OCPP version |
+| ocppProtocol | json | json | string | OCPP protocol |
+| ocppStrictCompliance | true/false | false | boolean | strict adherence to the OCPP version and protocol specifications |
+| ocppPersistentConfiguration | true/false | true | boolean | enable persistent OCPP parameters storage by charging stations 'hashId'. The persistency is ensured by the charging stations configuration files in dist/assets/configurations |
+| wsOptions | | {} | ClientOptions & ClientRequestArgs | [ws](https://github.com/websockets/ws) and node.js [http](https://nodejs.org/api/http.html) clients options intersection |
+| authorizationFile | | '' | string | RFID tags list file relative to src/assets path |
+| baseName | | '' | string | base name to build charging stations id |
+| nameSuffix | | '' | string | name suffix to build charging stations id |
+| fixedName | true/false | false | boolean | use the baseName as the charging stations unique name |
+| chargePointModel | | '' | string | charging stations model |
+| chargePointVendor | | '' | string | charging stations vendor |
+| chargePointSerialNumberPrefix | | '' | string | charge point serial number prefix |
+| chargeBoxSerialNumberPrefix | | '' | string | charge box serial number prefix (deprecated in OCPP 1.6) |
+| firmwareVersion | | '' | string | charging stations firmware version |
+| power | | | float \| float[] | charging stations maximum power value(s) |
+| powerSharedByConnectors | true/false | false | boolean | charging stations power shared by its connectors |
+| powerUnit | W/kW | W | string | charging stations power unit |
+| currentOutType | AC/DC | AC | string | charging stations current out type |
+| voltageOut | | AC:230/DC:400 | integer | charging stations voltage out |
+| numberOfPhases | 0/1/3 | AC:3/DC:0 | integer | charging stations number of phase(s) |
+| numberOfConnectors | | | integer \| integer[] | charging stations number of connector(s) |
+| useConnectorId0 | true/false | true | boolean | use connector id 0 definition from the charging station configuration template |
+| randomConnectors | true/false | false | boolean | randomize runtime connector id affectation from the connector id definition in charging station configuration template |
+| resetTime | | 60 | integer | seconds to wait before the charging stations come back at reset |
+| autoRegister | true/false | false | boolean | set charging stations as registered at boot notification for testing purpose |
+| autoReconnectMaxRetries | | -1 (unlimited) | integer | connection retries to the OCPP-J server |
+| reconnectExponentialDelay | true/false | false | boolean | connection delay retry to the OCPP-J server |
+| registrationMaxRetries | | -1 (unlimited) | integer | charging stations boot notification retries |
+| amperageLimitationOcppKey | | undefined | string | charging stations OCPP parameter key used to set the amperage limit, per phase for each connector on AC and global for DC |
+| amperageLimitationUnit | A/cA/dA/mA | A | string | charging stations amperage limit unit |
+| enableStatistics | true/false | true | boolean | enable charging stations statistics |
+| mayAuthorizeAtRemoteStart | true/false | true | boolean | always send authorize at remote start transaction when AuthorizeRemoteTxRequests is enabled |
+| beginEndMeterValues | true/false | false | boolean | enable Transaction.{Begin,End} MeterValues |
+| outOfOrderEndMeterValues | true/false | false | boolean | send Transaction.End MeterValues out of order. Need to relax OCPP specifications strict compliance ('ocppStrictCompliance' parameter) |
+| meteringPerTransaction | true/false | true | boolean | enable metering history on a per transaction basis |
+| transactionDataMeterValues | true/false | false | boolean | enable transaction data MeterValues at stop transaction |
+| mainVoltageMeterValues | true/false | true | boolean | include charging stations main voltage MeterValues on three phased charging stations |
+| phaseLineToLineVoltageMeterValues | true/false | true | boolean | include charging stations line to line voltage MeterValues on three phased charging stations |
+| customValueLimitationMeterValues | true/false | true | boolean | enable limitation on custom fluctuated value in MeterValues |
+| Configuration | | | ChargingStationConfiguration | charging stations OCPP parameters configuration section |
+| AutomaticTransactionGenerator | | | AutomaticTransactionGenerator | charging stations ATG configuration section |
+| Connectors | | | Connectors | charging stations connectors configuration section |
+
+#### Configuration section
+
+```json
+ "Configuration": {
+ "configurationKey": [
+ ...
+ {
+ "key": "StandardKey",
+ "readonly": false,
+ "value": "StandardValue",
+ "visible": true,
+ "reboot": false
+ },
+ ...
+ {
+ "key": "VendorKey",
+ "readonly": false,
+ "value": "VendorValue",
+ "visible": false,
+ "reboot": true
+ },
+ ...
+ ]
+ }
+```
+
+#### AutomaticTransactionGenerator section
+
+```json
+ "AutomaticTransactionGenerator": {
+ "enable": false,
+ "minDuration": 60,
+ "maxDuration": 80,
+ "minDelayBetweenTwoTransactions": 15,
+ "maxDelayBetweenTwoTransactions": 30,
+ "probabilityOfStart": 1,
+ "stopAfterHours": 0.3,
+ "stopOnConnectionFailure": true,
+ "requireAuthorize": true
+ }
+```
+
+#### Connectors section
+
+```json
+ "Connectors": {
+ "0": {},
+ "1": {
+ "bootStatus": "Available",
+ "MeterValues": [
+ ...
+ {
+ "unit": "W",
+ "measurand": "Power.Active.Import",
+ "phase": "L1-N",
+ "value": "5000",
+ "fluctuationPercent": "10"
+ },
+ ...
+ {
+ "unit": "A",
+ "measurand": "Current.Import"
+ },
+ ...
+ {
+ "unit": "Wh"
+ },
+ ...
+ ]
+ }
+ },
+```
+
+### Charging station configuration
+
+**dist/assets/configurations/\<hashId\>.json**:
+
+The charging station configuration file is automatically generated at startup from the charging station configuration template file and is persistent.
+
+The charging station configuration file content can be regenerated partially on matching charging station configuration template file changes. The charging station serial number is kept unchanged.
+
+#### stationInfo section
+
+The syntax is similar to charging station configuration template with some added fields like the charging station id (name) and the 'Configuration' section removed.
+
+#### configurationKey section
+
+The syntax is similar to the charging station configuration template 'Configuration' section.
+