The "Micro-Tool" Philosophy 🛠️
In 2026, the best way to learn a new technology isn't by reading docs—it's by shipping. Over the last few months, I've challenged myself to build and launch 6 niche tools, ranging from AI agents to high-performance converters.
My goal was simple: Extreme utility, zero bloat.
Here is a breakdown of what I built and the tech behind them.
1. The AI Agent Hub: Moltbook AI
Moltbook AI is my most ambitious project. It’s moving away from simple chat to an AI Agent Workspace. I used it to test the OpenClaw protocol for agentic workflows.
Best for: Developers looking for AI agent tutorials and structured writing.
Tech: Next.js, Vercel AI SDK, OpenClaw logic.
2. The Conversion Trio: Fast, Local, Private
For these, I focused on Client-Side processing to ensure user privacy and lightning speed.
- pdftopng.io: Converts PDFs to images entirely in the browser using PDF.js. No server-side storage, 100% private.
- fastconvert.ai: A smart engine for multi-format switching.
- openclaw-ai.net: A dedicated entry point for exploring agent-based utility.
3. The "Boring" But Essential Converters
Sometimes, you just need a number, and you need it now. I built these two with Vanilla JS to achieve sub-100ms load times.
- inchtocm.net: Pure, ad-free unit conversion.
- mmtocm.net: Precision measurement tool for engineering.
The Common Tech Stack 🏗️
Across all these projects, I’ve refined a "speed-run" stack that allows me to go from idea to deployment in days:
- Framework: Next.js (for SEO and routing). -** Styling**: Tailwind CSS (for rapid, responsive UI).
- Analytics: PostHog (for privacy-first user insights).
- Performance: Edge functions to minimize latency for my global "出海" (Global) audience.
Lessons Learned as an Indie Developer 💡
- Niche > General: A tool that does one thing perfectly (like PDF to PNG) often gets more organic traffic than a general AI tool.
- Performance is a Feature: Especially for unit converters, users will leave if the page takes more than 1 second to load.
- SEO takes time: Building backlinks through value-sharing (like this post!) is much more effective than spamming.
Which one would you use? 🎤
I’m looking for feedback on Moltbook AI's new agent tutorials. If you're a developer working with LLMs, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the OpenClaw approach.
Check out the full list and let me know which tool is most useful for your workflow!
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