When I started building small web utilities, I never planned to create a large platform.
I just wanted to solve simple problems that annoyed me during daily work.
One small tool turned into several.
Several slowly turned into many.
Today, that experiment has grown into 97 free online tools, including browser-based games, all available under one project.
Why I Focused on Small Tools Instead of One Big Product
Big ideas sound exciting, but they also come with pressure and long timelines.
Small tools, on the other hand, are easier to start and easier to finish.
Each tool had:
- a clear purpose
- a limited scope
- a short build time
Some tools took hours.
Some took a single evening.
What mattered most was finishing and publishing them.
What Kind of Tools and Games I Built
The tools fall into a few simple categories.
Utility Tools
- Password generators
- Text and string converters
- JSON, Base64, and URL formatters
- Image compression and conversion tools
- Calculators and validators
Browser-Based Games
- Small logic and puzzle games
- Memory games
- Classic mini-games built for learning and fun
Everything runs directly in the browser with no signups and no downloads.
You can explore the full collection here:
https://axonixtools.com
Technical Choices That Made This Possible
I avoided complicated stacks whenever possible.
Most tools use:
- lightweight JavaScript
- minimal dependencies
- simple and fast user interfaces
The goal was never perfection.
The goal was speed, clarity, and reliability.
Boring technology turned out to be the best decision.
What I Learned from Shipping 97 Tools
Consistency Beats Motivation
There were days when I didn’t feel like building anything.
Instead of stopping, I worked on something small.
Even:
- fixing a bug
- improving UI
- adding a minor feature
counts as progress.
Not Every Tool Needs to Be a Hit
Some tools get traffic.
Some don’t.
That’s fine.
Each tool is an experiment, and experiments don’t need to succeed to be valuable.
SEO and Traffic (An Honest Take)
I didn’t chase trends or viral keywords.
Each page focuses on:
- one clear problem
- one clear solution
Over time, some tools started ranking naturally through long-tail searches.
Slow growth turned out to be more stable than chasing quick wins.
Advice for Developers Building Side Projects
If you’re thinking about starting something similar:
- Don’t wait for the perfect idea
- Build something useful, not impressive
- Ship fast and iterate later
- Let usage guide your improvements
- Keep everything simple
You don’t need a big launch to make progress.
What’s Next
I’m still building, learning, and refining the platform.
Axonix Tools started as practice and slowly became a growing collection of 97 tools and games.
I plan to continue expanding it while keeping everything fast, free, and simple.
If you’re curious, you can check it out here:
https://axonixtools.com
If you’re working on your own side project, feel free to share it.
I enjoy reading how others approach building and shipping.
Thanks for reading.
Top comments (1)
This really resonates. I’ve had a very similar experience building small, browser-based tools — once you remove signups and friction, usage patterns become very clear. Most users come for one specific task, get it done fast, and leave happy.
Shipping many small, focused tools feels underrated compared to chasing one “big” product, but the learning compounds quickly. Curious — did you notice a few tools getting most of the repeat usage, or did it stay fairly distributed?