generated: '2026-08-13'
method: searched
source: >-
  https://docs.tealium.com/iq-tag-management/save-publish/manage-environments/,
  https://docs.tealium.com/server-side/trace/about/,
  https://docs.tealium.com/server-side/trace/mobile-qr-trace/,
  https://docs.tealium.com/iq-tag-management/tealium-tools/environment-switcher/,
  https://docs.tealium.com/iq-tag-management/save-publish/publishing-best-practices/
description: >-
  Tealium does not offer a sandbox account, test API keys or synthetic test fixtures. What it offers
  instead is environment separation inside a live account — three built-in publishing environments
  plus custom ones — and Trace, a live event-inspection tool that follows a single tagged session
  through the whole server-side pipeline. Testing on Tealium means publishing to a non-production
  environment and watching a real event travel, not calling a mock endpoint.

test_credentials:
  test_mode_keys: false
  key_prefixes: null
  note: >-
    There is no test-vs-live key distinction. API keys are generated per user in Tealium iQ and
    scoped by account/profile and permissions, not by mode. The managed MCP server uses a
    separate dedicated key issued by Tealium Support — also not a test key.

environments:
  model: publish-environments
  built_in:
    - name: Dev
      alias_editable: true
      deletable: false
    - name: QA
      alias_editable: true
      deletable: false
    - name: Prod
      alias_editable: true
      deletable: false
  custom_environments: true
  permissions:
    - Publish to Dev
    - Publish to QA
    - Publish to Prod
  note: >-
    Environment is a path segment in the delivered Universal Tag URL —
    //tags.tiqcdn.com/utag/{account}/{profile}/{environment}/utag.js — so switching a page from
    prod to qa is a URL change, not a credential change. Default environment names cannot be
    renamed or deleted; only their display aliases change.
  docs: https://docs.tealium.com/iq-tag-management/save-publish/manage-environments/
  switching:
    tool: Tealium Tools Environment Switcher (browser extension)
    docs: https://docs.tealium.com/iq-tag-management/tealium-tools/environment-switcher/
    also: https://docs.tealium.com/iq-tag-management/troubleshooting/switch-environoment/

trace:
  name: Trace
  purpose: >-
    Testing and inspection tool for server-side configuration. Tracks a workflow to show how events
    and customer data are processed in real time — which enrichments fired, which audiences the
    visitor joined, which connector actions triggered.
  mechanism: >-
    Start a trace to obtain a trace ID, attach that ID to the application (or use the Tealium Tools
    browser extension), perform the test interaction, then inspect the trace log.
  applies_to: [AudienceStream CDP, EventStream API Hub]
  docs: https://docs.tealium.com/server-side/trace/about/
  manage: https://docs.tealium.com/server-side/trace/manage/
  view: https://docs.tealium.com/server-side/trace/view/
  joinable: 'Multiple people can join an active trace.'
  mobile:
    name: Mobile QR Trace
    docs: https://docs.tealium.com/server-side/trace/mobile-qr-trace/
    note: >-
      Renders the trace ID as a QR code the device scans, so events from the Tealium mobile SDKs
      can be traced without hand-entering an ID.

validation_tooling:
  - name: Validate webhook action
    docs: https://docs.tealium.com/server-side/connectors/webhook-connectors/validate-webhook-action/
    note: Sends a test request through a configured webhook connector action.
  - name: Event feeds
    docs: https://docs.tealium.com/server-side/event-health/event-feeds/
    note: Manage and inspect incoming data.
  - name: Tealium Tools
    type: Google Chrome extension
    note: >-
      Collection of debugging utilities (Environment Switcher, Trace helper, Optimizely Helper and
      others) rather than a single tool.
  - name: MCP Inspector
    docs: https://docs.tealium.com/server-side/moments-api/managed-mcp-server/
    note: >-
      Tealium recommends the open-source MCP Inspector (npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector) with
      Transport Type "Streamable HTTP" to verify connectivity, list tools and troubleshoot auth
      against the managed MCP server. Still requires a real API key.

test_data:
  test_visitors: false
  magic_identifiers: false
  fixtures: false
  note: >-
    No published magic visitor IDs, test attribute values or seeded profiles. Test data is whatever
    the tester sends into a dev/qa profile.

publishing_workflow:
  docs: https://docs.tealium.com/iq-tag-management/save-publish/publishing-best-practices/
  features:
    - Save without publish (versions, and overwritten versions)
    - Version history with per-version restore
    - Draft mode in the Advanced JavaScript Code extension, with code diffs and GitHub integration
  note: >-
    The safeguarded path is save → publish to Dev → verify with Trace → publish to QA → publish to
    Prod, with version history as the rollback mechanism.

gaps:
  - No sandbox account or free developer tier — an account is required to call anything.
  - No test-mode API keys.
  - No mock server or hosted request-bin equivalent for the REST APIs.
  - No published synthetic identifiers for repeatable tests.