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xueboyang1985
xueboyang1985

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I Built 24 Free Browser Tools That Run 100% Client-Side — No Upload, No Tracking

#webdev #showdev #javascript #tools

Six weeks ago, I started building browser-based tools as a side project. Today, I have 24 tools — and they have collectively handled zero server requests. Because there is no server.

Every tool is a single HTML file with vanilla JavaScript. Hosted on GitHub Pages. No frameworks, no build step, no backend, no database.

Hub page: https://xueboyang1985.github.io/free-browser-tools/

The Stack

  • Hosting: GitHub Pages (free, global CDN)
  • Frontend: Vanilla HTML/CSS/JS — no build tools, no frameworks
  • PDF: pdf-lib, jsPDF, pdf.js
  • QR: qrcodejs
  • Images: Canvas API
  • Crypto: Web Crypto API

Why Client-Side?

Most free online tools make you upload files to a server. With client-side tools your data never leaves your computer. No tracking. Works offline.

The 24 Tools

  1. PDF Tools — merge, split, images to/from PDF, extract images
  2. Image Compressor — JPG/PNG/WebP, adjustable quality
  3. Image Resizer & Cropper — aspect ratio lock
  4. Background Remover — neural network via WebAssembly, no API key needed
  5. Password Generator — crypto.getRandomValues, customizable
  6. QR Code Generator — URLs, WiFi, email, vCard
  7. JSON-CSV Converter — bidirectional, bigint support
  8. Base64 Encoder — text + file encoding
  9. Color Picker — EyeDropper API, HEX/RGB/HSL
  10. HTML Formatter & CSS Minifier
  11. URL Encoder — full URL + component encoding
  12. Timestamp Converter — Unix, ISO 8601, relative time
  13. Number Base Converter — binary/octal/decimal/hex
  14. Random Generator — numbers, coin, dice, picker, shuffle
  15. Text Diff Checker — line/char diff, highlighted
  16. Word Counter — words, chars, reading time
  17. Case Converter — camelCase, snake_case, kebab-case
  18. Markdown Editor — live preview, GFM
  19. UUID Generator — v4 and v7, bulk up to 1000
  20. WhatsApp Chat Formatter — export to MD/HTML/CSV
  21. Subtitle Converter — SRT to VTT to ASS
  22. Kindle Highlights Exporter — parse My Clippings.txt

The Technical Approach

Every tool is a single HTML file. No bundlers, no React, no build step. Vanilla JS + CDN libraries.

Key APIs used: File API, Canvas API, Web Crypto API, pdf-lib, ONNX Runtime (WebAssembly for AI background removal).

Monetization

All tools are free to use. The PRO Bundle (9.99) removes free limits (e.g. 125 PDF pages, 5MB images) with a single license key across all 24 tools. One-time payment, lifetime access, 3 devices.

The Hard Part

24 tools, 6 weeks, zero server costs. Revenue so far: $0. Building was easy. Getting traffic is the real challenge.

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