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TateLyman
TateLyman

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500+ Free Online Tools I Built — Here Are the Most Useful Ones

Over the past year, I've been building free browser-based tools at devtools-site-delta.vercel.app. What started as a JSON formatter I built for myself has turned into 500+ tools.

Most of them run entirely client-side — your data never leaves your browser. No accounts, no paywalls, no "5 free uses per day" nonsense.

Here are the 15 I use the most.


1. JSON Formatter & Validator

/json-formatter

Paste in ugly JSON, get it pretty-printed with syntax highlighting. Also catches errors and tells you exactly where the problem is (line and character). I use this multiple times a day when debugging API responses.

2. PDF Merge

/pdf-merge

Drag in multiple PDFs, reorder them, merge into one file. Runs entirely in your browser using pdf-lib. No upload, no server. I wrote a whole post about this one.

3. Image Compressor

/image-compress

Drop in an image, adjust the quality slider, download a smaller version. Uses the Canvas API. I compress every image before adding it to a blog post or README. Usually saves 60-80% file size.

4. Regex Tester

/regex

Write a regex pattern, paste in test text, see matches highlighted in real time. Shows capture groups, match indices, and flags. Way faster than tab-switching to regex101 when I'm already in the zone.

5. JWT Decoder

/jwt-decode

Paste a JWT token and instantly see the decoded header and payload. Shows expiration time in a human-readable format. Essential for auth debugging. Also has a JWT creator if you need to generate test tokens.

6. QR Code Generator

/qr

Type in a URL, text, or WiFi credentials and get a QR code you can download as PNG or SVG. The WiFi QR generator is great — print one out, stick it on the fridge, and guests can connect without asking for the password.

7. Color Picker & Palette Generator

/color-picker

Pick a color, get the HEX, RGB, HSL, and CSS values. The palette generator creates harmonious color schemes from a seed color. There's also a contrast checker for WCAG accessibility compliance.

8. Base64 Encoder/Decoder

/base64

Encode and decode Base64 strings. Also handles image-to-base64 conversion, which is useful for embedding small images directly in CSS or HTML.

9. Hash Generator

/hash-generator

Generate MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 hashes from any text input. Good for verifying file integrity or generating quick checksums. All computed locally using the Web Crypto API.

10. CSS Gradient Generator

/css-gradient-generator

Visual gradient builder with live preview. Supports linear, radial, and conic gradients. Pick your colors, adjust stops, copy the CSS. I use this instead of guessing gradient values and refreshing the browser 50 times.

11. Background Remover

/background-remover

Remove image backgrounds using an ML model that runs in the browser. Works great for product photos and headshots. No upload required — the model processes everything locally.

12. Markdown Preview

/markdown-preview

Split-pane editor with live rendering. I use this when writing READMEs or documentation. Also has Markdown to HTML conversion and an HTML to Markdown converter for going the other direction.

13. CSS Box Shadow Generator

/box-shadow

Visual editor for CSS box shadows with sliders for offset, blur, spread, and color. Supports multiple shadow layers. Copy the CSS when it looks right. Saves a ton of trial-and-error.

14. JSON to TypeScript

/json-to-typescript

Paste a JSON object and get TypeScript interfaces generated automatically. Handles nested objects, arrays, and optional fields. I use this constantly when working with API responses — paste the response, get the types, move on.

15. Image Resizer

/image-resize

Resize images to exact dimensions with aspect ratio lock. Great for making Open Graph images (1200x630), favicons, or thumbnails. Runs client-side via the Canvas API.


Honorable Mentions

A few more that didn't make the top 15 but I still reach for regularly:

Why I Built This

I was spending way too much time on ad-covered, rate-limited tool sites. Need to format some JSON? Here's 3 pop-ups and a newsletter prompt. Need to merge two PDFs? Upload your sensitive documents to our server.

So I just started building. One tool turned into ten. Ten turned into a hundred. Now there are 500+.

Everything is free. Most tools run client-side. No accounts needed.

Bookmark devtools-site-delta.vercel.app and stop giving your data to random tool sites.


Full site: devtools-site-delta.vercel.app

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