In this quick tutorial I’m going to show you how to create draws, giveaways and raffle systems in bubble.io using our random shuffler plugin.

What is the Random Picker + Shuffler Plugin?

The Random Picker + Shuffler plugin is a versatile Bubble plugin that allows you to feed in a comma-separated list of values and randomly pick N unique items from that list. These values can be anything – names, numbers, dates, or any other data type you need to randomize.

The plugin offers several key features:

• Select any number of random items from your list
• Return the full shuffled list after initialization
• History-aware selection to prevent repeats across multiple calls
• Perfect for games, giveaways, and progressive draws

Best Use Cases for Random Selection in Bubble Apps

How to Install the Random Picker + Shuffler Plugin

Setting Up Your Input List for Random Selection

Once installed, you’ll need to prepare your data for randomization:

Add an input field to your page and populate it with your list of values. The most crucial requirement is that values must be comma-separated. You have flexibility in how you populate this list:

• Hard-code static values directly in the input
• Use dynamic values from your database
• Pull data from API calls
• Combine multiple data sources

Configuring the Random Picker Workflow

Advanced Features: Shuffled Lists and Global History

Managing Results with Custom States

To effectively handle the plugin’s output, you’ll need to set up custom states:

Step 1: Create Custom States

In your page settings, create three custom states:

• Returned Value: Stores the selected item(s)
• List Value: Contains the shuffled list
• History: Maintains a record of all previously selected items

Step 2: Set State Values in Workflow

Add a second workflow step to store the plugin results:

• Map ‘Returned Value’ to the plugin’s ‘picked values’
• Map ‘List Value’ to the plugin’s ‘shuffled list’
• Map ‘History’ to the plugin’s ‘history’ output

Displaying Results on Your Frontend

To show the randomization results to your users, simply map input fields or text elements to your custom state values. This creates a seamless user experience where selected items, shuffled lists, and selection history are immediately visible.

Testing Your Random Selection Implementation

Before going live, thoroughly test your implementation:

• Test with different list sizes and formats
• Verify that history tracking prevents unwanted duplicates
• Ensure the shuffled list displays correctly
• Test edge cases like empty lists or single-item lists

Conclusion: Powerful Randomization Made Simple

The Random Picker + Shuffler plugin transforms complex randomization logic into simple, manageable workflows. Whether you’re building lottery systems, educational platforms, or gaming applications, this plugin provides the reliability and flexibility you need.

By following this tutorial, you now have the knowledge to implement fair, transparent, and efficient random selection in your Bubble applications. The combination of customizable selection criteria, history tracking, and shuffling capabilities makes this plugin an essential tool for any no-code developer.