Essential Web Developer Utilities: Tools We Use Daily

You're debugging an API response at 11 PM. You paste the minified JSON blob into some random website. As you hit submit, you notice the page URL: free-json-formatter-online.ru. You just sent your client's API credentials to a domain that might be logging everything. You can't undo it. You can only hope nothing happens—and vow to never use a sketchy tool again.

Developer tools that aren't private become security tools for someone else.

Every developer has a collection of utilities they reach for constantly—formatting JSON, converting colors, checking contrast ratios. We built Tiny Tools because we were tired of hunting for reliable, privacy-respecting versions of these essentials. This guide covers the developer utilities we use daily and how to get the most from them.

JSON Formatting and Validation

Unformatted JSON is nearly unreadable. API responses, config files, and data exports all benefit from proper formatting.

The Problem

You receive:

{"users":[{"id":1,"name":"John","email":"[email protected]","roles":["admin","user"]},{"id":2,"name":"Jane","email":"[email protected]","roles":["user"]}],"meta":{"total":2,"page":1}}

Good luck debugging that.

The Solution

Our JSON Formatter transforms it into:

{
  "users": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "John",
      "email": "[email protected]",
      "roles": ["admin", "user"]
    },
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "Jane",
      "email": "[email protected]",
      "roles": ["user"]
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    "total": 2,
    "page": 1
  }
}

Features We Use Most

Validation: Catch syntax errors before they cause runtime failures. A missing comma or bracket is instantly highlighted.

Minification: When you need compact JSON for configs or transmission, one click removes all whitespace.

Tree view: For deeply nested structures, collapsible tree view lets you focus on relevant sections.

Our Workflow

When debugging API issues:

1. Copy the response from DevTools
2. Paste into JSON Formatter
3. Format and validate
4. Identify structure issues or unexpected data
5. Copy formatted version into bug reports or documentation

We do this dozens of times per day. Having a tool that works instantly without leaving the browser is essential.

Color Conversion

Colors in web development come in multiple formats. Designs might specify HSL, browsers show hex in DevTools, and accessibility tools want RGB values.

Format Overview

Hex: #4285F4 - Most common in CSS RGB: rgb(66, 133, 244) - Red, green, blue values HSL: hsl(217, 89%, 61%) - Hue, saturation, lightness RGBA/HSLA: Same with alpha transparency

When You Need Conversion

• Design handoff specifies one format, codebase uses another
• Accessibility tools require specific formats
• Creating color variations (lighter/darker)
• Debugging computed styles

Using Our Color Converter

Our Color Converter instantly converts between all formats:

1. Enter any color format
2. See all equivalent values
3. Copy what you need

Pro tip: HSL is often easier for creating variations. To make a color lighter, just increase the L (lightness) value. To make it more muted, decrease S (saturation).

Real Example

A designer gives you hsl(217, 89%, 61%). Your codebase uses hex. Our converter shows it's #4285F4. Done in seconds.

Color Contrast Checking

Accessibility isn't optional. WCAG guidelines require specific contrast ratios between text and background colors.

The Requirements

Common Failures

Light gray text on white backgrounds is the most common accessibility failure we see. It might look "clean" but fails contrast requirements.

Using Our Contrast Checker

Our Color Contrast tool:

1. Enter foreground and background colors
2. See the calculated contrast ratio
3. Check pass/fail for each WCAG level
4. Get suggestions for passing colors

Our Process

Before finalizing any color combination for text:

1. Check contrast ratio
2. If failing, adjust colors until passing
3. Document the accessible color pairs in our design system

We've caught many accessibility issues early this way—much easier than retrofitting later.

Favicon Generation

Every project needs favicons in multiple sizes for different platforms. Manually creating each size is tedious and error-prone.

What You Need

At minimum:

• favicon.ico (16×16 and 32×32)
• apple-touch-icon.png (180×180)
• icon-192.png and icon-512.png for PWAs

Using Our Favicon Creator

Our Favicon Creator:

1. Upload your source image (at least 512×512)
2. Preview at all generated sizes
3. Download the complete package
4. Copy the HTML implementation code

What We've Learned

• Simple icons work better than complex logos at small sizes
• Test on actual browser tabs, not just in the generator
• Don't forget the Apple Touch Icon—iOS users see a blank if you skip it
• Include the web manifest for PWA functionality

Password Generation

Secure passwords shouldn't be manual guesswork. Our Password Generator creates cryptographically random passwords instantly.

Developer Use Cases

• API keys for development environments
• Test account passwords
• Database passwords for local development
• Encryption keys

Best Practices

• Generate at least 16 characters for sensitive applications
• Include all character types when the system allows
• Use different passwords for different services (even in development)
• Store securely (never in code repositories)

Text Encryption

Sometimes you need to share sensitive data—API keys, credentials, configuration values. Sending them in plaintext is risky.

Using Our Text Encryption Tool

Our Text Encryption uses AES encryption:

1. Enter the sensitive text
2. Create a strong password
3. Share encrypted output via email/chat
4. Share password via different channel

When We Use It

• Sharing staging environment credentials with team members
• Sending API keys to clients
• Storing sensitive notes locally

The Developer Workflow

Here's how these tools fit into a typical day:

Morning: API Integration

1. Hit new API endpoint
2. Response is unformatted JSON blob
3. Paste into JSON Formatter
4. Understand structure, plan implementation
5. Notice color codes in response, convert using Color Converter

Midday: Design Implementation

1. Receive design specs with HSL colors
2. Convert to hex for CSS using Color Converter
3. Check text contrast ratios with Color Contrast
4. Adjust colors until accessibility passes

Afternoon: Project Setup

1. Create favicon from logo using Favicon Creator
2. Generate secure passwords for local databases
3. Encrypt credentials for sharing with team

Throughout: Debugging

Every JSON response, every color question, every quick conversion—these tools are faster than opening a full IDE or hunting for websites.

Why Browser-Based Tools

Privacy

Our tools process everything locally. Your JSON, colors, and encrypted text never hit a server. We can't see your data because we never receive it.

Speed

No installation, no updates, no compatibility issues. Open a tab and start working.

Reliability

No account required, no rate limits, no "free tier exceeded" messages.

Accessibility

Works on any device with a modern browser—your main machine, a borrowed laptop, a tablet in a meeting.

Building Your Toolkit

Start with What You Need

Don't try to learn every tool at once. Next time you need to format JSON, use our formatter. Next time you need a color conversion, use our converter. Build familiarity gradually.

Bookmark Strategically

We keep our most-used tools in the bookmark bar. One click beats searching every time.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Learn the shortcuts for copy/paste and you'll fly through conversions. Most of our tools work with:

1. Ctrl/Cmd+V to paste input
2. View result
3. Ctrl/Cmd+C to copy output

Combine Tools

Tools work together. Format JSON to understand structure, extract color codes, convert them, check contrast—all in minutes.

Conclusion

The tools you use every day should be tools you trust completely. That means local processing, no accounts, no uploads to unknown servers.

The right utilities remove friction from development. Instead of context-switching to external apps or untrusted websites, keep essential tools one tab away. Our developer utilities—JSON Formatter, Color Converter, Color Contrast, and Favicon Creator—handle the tasks we encounter daily. They're fast, private, and free.

Build your toolkit around what you actually use, and you'll find yourself shipping faster with less frustration—and less worry about where your data is going.

Keep Reading

• JSON Formatter Validator Guide - Deep dive into JSON debugging
• Color Theory for Designers Guide - Understand the colors you're converting
• Web Accessibility Color Contrast Guide - Make your work accessible

Related Tools

• JSON Formatter - Format, validate, and minify JSON
• Color Converter - Convert between color formats
• Color Contrast - Check WCAG accessibility compliance
• Favicon Creator - Generate all favicon sizes