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Sam T
Sam T

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Why I Built a Client-Side Alternative to Common Dev Tools

The Problem: "Where did my API key just go?"

We all do it. You have a messy JSON blob, you Google "JSON formatter," click the first result, and paste your data.

But halfway through, you realize: "Wait, I just pasted a production config file with client IDs into a random website."

Most free developer tool sites have two major problems:

** Privacy Risks: **You don't know if your code is being sent to a backend server (or logged).

** Bloat:** They are often covered in ads, pop-ups, and require 5 seconds just to load a simple script.

I wanted a toolkit that I could trust—one that felt like a native app but lived in the browser. So, I built ToolsHref.com.

The Solution: 100% Client-Side Processing

ToolsHref is a collection of utilities (Converters, Visualizers, Parsers) built with a single rule: Data never leaves your browser.

Whether you are formatting Java code, parsing a date string, or visualizing a dependency tree, the logic runs locally in your browser's JavaScript engine. If you disconnect your internet, the tools still work.

Key Features for Developers

I focused on the tools I actually needed during my day-to-day work as a Java/Web developer:

** JSON to Mermaid Visualizer:** Stop trying to mentally parse nested JSON objects. This tool instantly converts raw JSON into a Mermaid flow diagram. It’s a lifesaver for debugging API responses.

** NPM Dependency Visualizer:** "Dependency Hell" is real. I built a visualizer that renders your package.json dependencies graphically, so you can spot version conflicts instantly.

** Java Utilities: **As a Java dev, I needed a quick way to generate POJOs from JSON or analyze static code without waiting for my IDE to index.

Why Use It?

**Speed**: No backend calls means instant output.

**Privacy**: Your proprietary code stays on your machine.
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** No Login**: No "Sign up to see the rest of the output" nonsense.

Check it out

I’m actively adding more tools based on what I find missing in my own workflow. I’d love for you to give it a try and let me know what other "micro-tools" would help you save time.

👉 Try it here: toolshref.com

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sam_th profile image
Sam T

"I'm the creator here!

I built this because I was paranoid about pasting client data into random online formatters, so I made sure everything runs locally.

I'm looking to add 2-3 more tools this weekend. Question for everyone: What is the one 'micro-tool' or converter you find yourself Googling for every week? Let me know and I'll see if I can build it."