5 More Web Utilities That Will Save You Hours of Debugging

Dev Smith Tools — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:41:00 +0000

As developers, we all have that folder of bookmarked utilities we rely on to get through the day. Whether it's diagnosing why an authentication token is failing, comparing two massive config files, or just trying to make a button look good without writing 20 lines of CSS, having the right tool at your fingertips is a massive time-saver.

I've been continually expanding DevSmith Tools with exactly these kinds of utilities. Every tool is designed to run entirely locally in your browser so your sensitive data is never transmitted anywhere.

Here are 5 more utilities from the collection you should definitely check out:

1. 🔐 JWT Decoder

The Struggle: You need to inspect a production JSON Web Token (JWT) to verify user roles or expiration dates, but you absolutely cannot paste it into a random online decoder.

If you work with modern web apps, you're constantly dealing with JWTs. The JWT Decoder instantly unpacks the header and payload safely on your own machine, allowing you to debug auth flows with peace of mind.

👉 Try the JWT Decoder »

2. 📝 Text Diff Tool

The Struggle: Trying to figure out exactly what changed between two massive JSON payloads or environment configuration files.

While git diff is great for source code, sometimes you just need to quickly compare two raw text blocks side-by-side in your browser. This tool highlights additions and deletions instantly, making it incredibly easy to spot rogue commas or mismatched values.

👉 Try the Text Diff Tool »

3. 🎨 CSS Box Shadow Generator

The Struggle: Writing box-shadow: 0px 4px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); from scratch, refreshing the page, and realizing it looks terrible.

A visual box shadow generator lets you tweak the X/Y offsets, blur, spread, and color with intuitive sliders. Once it looks perfect, simply copy the generated CSS directly into your stylesheet.

👉 Try the Box Shadow Generator »

4. 🧮 Base Converter

The Struggle: Jumping between binary, octal, decimal, and hexadecimal when doing low-level programming or reverse-engineering data.

This Base Converter allows you to paste a value in one base and instantly see the equivalent in all the others. It's an indispensable tool for systems programmers and security researchers.

👉 Try the Base Converter »

5. 🧹 HTML Formatter

The Struggle: Copying HTML from a CMS or scraping a webpage, only to end up with a massive, unreadable block of single-line code.

An HTML Formatter takes that mess and instantly pretty-prints it with proper indentation. It turns minified spaghetti code into something human-readable and ready for debugging.

👉 Try the HTML Formatter »

What's missing from your toolkit?

Are there any specific tools you find yourself constantly searching for that don't quite work the way you want? Let me know in the comments, and I might just add it to DevSmith Tools next!

(P.S. Like always, all these tools run entirely in your browser so your data never leaves your machine!)

5 Essential Everyday Tools Every Developer Should Have Bookmarked

Dev Smith Tools — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:37:00 +0000

As developers, we constantly find ourselves needing to quickly format a massive JSON payload, parse a messy URL, or bypass a frustrating PDF restriction. Sure, you could write a quick script in your terminal, but having a fast, reliable set of web-based tools saves so much time and mental energy.

That's exactly why I built DevSmith Tools — a growing collection of developer utilities focused on speed, privacy, and ease of use.

Here are 5 everyday tools from the collection you should definitely have bookmarked:

1. 🔓 PDF Unlocker

The Struggle: You receive a PDF document that you need to edit or copy text from, only to find out it's locked with annoying permissions.

The PDF Unlocker instantly removes password protections and edit restrictions right in your browser. Your sensitive documents never leave your machine! (Note: Only use this on documents you have the right to access!)

👉 Try the PDF Unlocker »

2. 📝 JSON Formatter

The Struggle: Staring at a massive, unreadable block of minified JSON returned from a raw API response.

Taking that block and instantly formatting it with proper syntax highlighting, indentation, and collapsible nodes is an absolute lifesaver for debugging. Simply paste your payload and get a clean, interactive view immediately.

👉 Try the JSON Formatter »

3. ⏱️ UNIX Timestamp Converter

The Struggle: Trying to figure out what date 1723733595 actually represents in the middle of a database debugging session.

If you work with databases or backend APIs, you've asked yourself this question a million times. A fast UNIX timestamp to human-readable date converter (and vice versa) is one of the most frequently used tools in any developer's arsenal.

👉 Try the UNIX Timestamp Converter »

4. 🔗 URL Parser

The Struggle: You're handed a massive URL with 15 different UTM parameters and encoded characters, and you need to isolate the redirect_uri.

A good URL parser instantly breaks down a URL into its protocol, host, path, and neatly formats all query parameters into a readable table so you can inspect exactly what data is being passed.

👉 Try the URL Parser »

5. 🔐 Base64 Encoder/Decoder

The Struggle: Needing to decode a JWT or Basic Auth header without sending your secure tokens to a random, ad-filled website.

Whether you're debugging auth flows or embedding a small image as a Data URI in your CSS, Base64 encoding/decoding is a daily necessity. DevSmith's Base64 tool does this entirely client-side for maximum security.

👉 Try the Base64 Tool »

What are your go-to tools?

These are just a few of the utilities I find myself using constantly. What small, single-purpose tools do you keep bookmarked in your browser? Let me know!

(P.S. All the tools on *DevSmith Tools** are completely free and process your data locally in the browser!)*

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