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Alex Spinov
Alex Spinov

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7 Developer Tools Nobody Talks About (That I Use Every Day)

#webdev #productivity #programming #discuss

I've been building tools and web scrapers for 2+ years, and some of my most-used tools are ones I never see mentioned in any 'awesome tools' list.

Here are 7 that I use almost daily:

1. httpbin.org — Test Any HTTP Behavior

Free hosted service that echoes back whatever you send it. Invaluable for debugging:

import requests

# See exactly what headers you're sending
r = requests.get("https://httpbin.org/headers")
print(r.json())

# Test POST data
r = requests.post("https://httpbin.org/post", json={"test": True})
print(r.json()["json"])  # echoes back your payload

# Simulate slow responses
r = requests.get("https://httpbin.org/delay/3")  # 3-second delay
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2. jq Playground (jqplay.org)

You know jq for CLI JSON parsing. But the web playground lets you test complex jq expressions interactively — paste JSON, write filters, see results instantly.

I use it when dealing with complex nested API responses (like GitHub's or FRED's).

3. crt.sh — Free SSL Certificate Search 

import requests

# Find ALL subdomains of any domain (via SSL certs)
domain = "stripe.com"
certs = requests.get(f"https://crt.sh/?q={domain}&output=json").json()
subdomains = set(c["common_name"] for c in certs)
print(f"{len(subdomains)} subdomains found")
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This is how security researchers find hidden subdomains. Free, no auth, no rate limits.

4. PyPI JSON API — Package Intelligence 

# Get detailed info about any Python package
r = requests.get("https://pypi.org/pypi/requests/json")
info = r.json()["info"]
print(f"Downloads: check pypistats.org/packages/{info['name']}")
print(f"Version: {info['version']}")
print(f"License: {info['license']}")
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I use this to evaluate dependencies before adding them to projects.

5. wttr.in — Weather in Your Terminal 

curl wttr.in/London
curl wttr.in/London?format=3  # one-liner
curl wttr.in/Moon  # moon phase!
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Not exactly a dev tool, but I have it in my terminal startup. Sometimes you just want to know if it's raining.

6. explainshell.com

Paste any complex bash command and it breaks down every flag and argument. Essential when reading someone else's deployment scripts.

7. carbon.now.sh → But for APIs: RapidAPI Hub

Carbon makes code look pretty. RapidAPI Hub lets you test APIs with a nice UI before writing code. I test endpoints there, then write the Python version.

Honorable Mentions

  • ipinfo.io — curl ipinfo.io for quick IP info
  • dog.ceo/dog-api — random dog photos for testing image endpoints
  • archive.org Wayback Machine API — see how any site looked in the past

What Are YOUR Hidden Tools?

What developer tool do you use daily that nobody else seems to know about?

I'm especially interested in:

  • CLI tools that save you time
  • Free APIs you use for testing
  • Browser extensions for development
  • Terminal customizations that boost productivity

I maintain a list of 500+ free APIs and 121+ developer tools — always looking for additions.

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