DEV Community

jyosh
jyosh

Posted on

I got tired of switching between 10 tabs while debugging… so I built this

#ai #developers #webdev #programming

I got tired of switching between 10 tabs while debugging… so I built this

https://timedev.ai

If you’ve worked with APIs, JSON, or tokens, you’ve probably had this moment:

You start debugging something simple…
and suddenly you’re juggling tabs like this:

  • JWT decoder
  • JSON formatter
  • Base64 encoder/decoder
  • regex tester
  • timestamp converter

Before you realize it, you’ve got 8–10 tabs open.

It sounds small, but it completely breaks your flow.

The hidden cost of “just one more tab”

Each tool solves a tiny problem.
But constantly switching between them adds friction:

  • context switching
  • inconsistent interfaces
  • slow or cluttered tools
  • unnecessary mental overhead

Individually, it’s fine.
Together, it’s frustrating.

What I actually wanted

Instead of jumping between tools, I wanted something that:

  • brings all essential developer utilities into one place
  • is fast and responsive (no lag, no waiting)
  • has a clean, distraction-free UI
  • runs entirely in the browser (no data upload)

Something that feels like a developer scratchpad, not a collection of random websites.

So I built one

I started small, just for my own workflow:

  • JWT decoder
  • JSON formatter
  • Base64 tool
  • timestamp converter

Then I kept adding what I actually needed day-to-day:

  • regex tester
  • cURL → fetch / axios converters
  • SQL formatter
  • URL encoder/decoder
  • hash generator (MD5, SHA)
  • YAML ↔ JSON converters
  • and more

Over time, it turned into a full developer utility hub.

👉 I put everything here: https://timedev.ai
— runs fully in your browser (no uploads)

Design choices I cared about

Most tools online work — but don’t feel great to use.

So I focused on a few things:

1. Speed over everything

Everything should feel instant. No loading, no friction.

2. Clean, minimal UI

No ads, no clutter — just the tool.

3. Privacy-first

Everything runs locally in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

4. Consistency

Same experience across all tools, so you don’t have to “relearn” anything.

What surprised me

A few things I didn’t expect:

  • How much time small context switches actually waste
  • How inconsistent most dev tools feel
  • How much smoother workflows become when everything is in one place

What I’m working on next

I’m currently exploring:

  • AI-assisted explanations (e.g., explain JSON, JWT payloads, regex patterns)
  • expanding tool coverage further
  • refining UX and performance

Would love your input

Curious to hear from other devs:

👉 What’s the one tool you use every single day?
👉 Or something you wish existed but doesn’t yet?

I’m building this based on real workflows, so ideas matter a lot.

Top comments (0)