The latest articles on DEV Community by Sahil Bedi (@sahilbedi40). https://dev.to/sahilbedi40 https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3982615%2F67190bce-9afc-4f72-b710-2dbca912e263.png https://dev.to/sahilbedi40 en Sahil Bedi Sun, 14 Jun 2026 07:22:05 +0000 https://dev.to/sahilbedi40/why-i-built-toolnudge-a-privacy-first-collection-of-browser-based-utilities-1lfc https://dev.to/sahilbedi40/why-i-built-toolnudge-a-privacy-first-collection-of-browser-based-utilities-1lfc <p>Over the years, I've found myself repeatedly searching for small utility tools.</p> <p>JSON formatters.</p> <p>JWT decoders.</p> <p>Regex testers.</p> <p>QR code generators.</p> <p>Text cleaners.</p> <p>Most of these tools solve simple problems, but they often come with a few frustrations:</p> <ul> <li>Excessive advertisements</li> <li>Slow loading times</li> <li>Account requirements</li> <li>Unclear privacy practices</li> <li>Unnecessary server-side processing</li> </ul> <p>For many utility tools, there is no reason user data should leave the browser at all.</p> <p>That observation eventually led me to start building ToolNudge.</p> <h2> The Idea </h2> <p>ToolNudge is a collection of browser-based utilities designed around a few simple principles:</p> <ul> <li>Fast</li> <li>Privacy-first</li> <li>Free to use</li> <li>No unnecessary data collection</li> <li>Mobile-friendly</li> <li>SEO-friendly</li> </ul> <p>Whenever possible, tools run entirely in the browser.</p> <p>This means users can format JSON, decode JWTs, clean text, generate QR codes, and perform many other tasks without sending their data to external servers.</p> <h2> What I've Built So Far </h2> <p>Some of the current utilities include:</p> <ul> <li>JSON Formatter &amp; Validator</li> <li>JWT Decoder &amp; Validator</li> <li>Regex Tester</li> <li>SQL Formatter</li> <li>Text Cleaner</li> <li>QR Code Generator</li> <li>Meta Tag Generator</li> <li>Sitemap Generator</li> </ul> <p>And many more.</p> <h2> Lessons Learned </h2> <p>One of the biggest lessons has been that small tools solve real problems.</p> <p>Developers, creators, marketers, and business users often spend more time on repetitive tasks than on complex work.</p> <p>Removing friction from those workflows can have a surprisingly large impact.</p> <h2> What's Next </h2> <p>I'm continuing to expand ToolNudge with additional developer tools, text utilities, SEO tools, and creator-focused utilities.</p> <p>The goal is simple:</p> <p>Create useful tools that are fast, accessible, and respectful of user privacy.</p> <p>I'd love to hear:</p> <p>What utility tools do you find yourself using most often?</p> privacy showdev sideprojects tooling