What Is DevToys and What Can You Do With It?
DevToys is a free, open-source desktop app for Windows, macOS, and Linux that bundles 30 offline developer utilities—formatters, converters, encoders/decoders, generators, and testers—into one interface. It fits best when you want to handle small, repetitive tasks like formatting JSON, decoding a JWT, or converting YAML to JSON without pasting sensitive data into random websites. It is not a full IDE or a replacement for build tooling; it is a local toolbox.
What ships in the box
The default install covers five broad categories:
| Category | Example tools |
|---|---|
| Converters | JSON ↔ YAML, JSON Array to Table/CSV, Number Base, Cron Parser, Date |
| Encoders / Decoders | Base64 (text and image), URL, HTML, JWT, GZIP, Certificate, QR Code |
| Formatters | JSON, SQL, XML |
| Generators | Hash/Checksum, Lorem Ipsum, Password, UUID |
| Testers | JSONPath, Regular Expression, XML/XSD |
A List Comparer and Text Comparer sit under analyzers, and a Markdown Preview rounds out the default set. Everything runs offline, so the data you paste stays on your machine.
Smart Detection: the feature that saves the most time
DevToys watches your clipboard and suggests the tool that matches its content. A lightbulb icon appears next to any tool that can consume what you copied. If exactly one tool matches, DevToys pastes the clipboard content into it automatically.
For example, copy a raw JWT and the decoder is likely the only match—it opens pre-filled. Copy a block of JSON and several tools may qualify (JSON formatter, JSON ↔ YAML converter, JSON Array to Table), so you pick from the list. You can turn this behavior off or tune it in settings if the suggestions get noisy.
Working from the terminal
DevToys CLI is a separate app from the GUI version, aimed at scenarios like continuous integration where you need a formatter or converter inside a script rather than a window. Most tools that make sense in a pipeline are exposed there. Both the GUI and CLI are extensible, so the same extension model applies.
Extending it
The 30 built-in tools are a starting point, not a ceiling. Additional tools are distributed through the DevToys community, and you can write your own using the SDK and documentation. Community and third-party tools include a Duplicate Detector, File Splitter, JSON Schema, JSON to PHP, JSON to C#, PNG Compressor, Randomizer, RESX Translator, RSA Generator, Semver Calculator, Text Delimiter, ULID Generator, and XSD Generator, among others available on NuGet.org.
System integration details worth knowing
- Compact Overlay (picture-in-picture) keeps a tool floating above other windows—handy for a reference converter while you work elsewhere.
- Task Bar jump list and a search bar get you to a tool without menu-diving.
- Multiple instances let you run two tools side by side.
- Dark/light theme and a rich code editor come standard.
When DevToys is the right call—and when it isn't
Use DevToys when:
- You handle tokens, keys, certificates, or customer data and don't want it leaving your machine.
- You repeat the same small conversions daily and want them one keystroke away.
- You want one install instead of a browser bookmark folder of single-purpose sites.
- You need the same utility inside a CI script via the CLI.
Look elsewhere when:
- You need schema-aware editing, refactoring, or project-wide search—that's IDE territory.
- You need a hosted API or a shared team service rather than a local app.
- Your task depends on a tool that isn't in the default set and has no community extension yet.
DevToys is made by Etienne Baudoux and Benjamin Titeux. If it earns a place in your workflow, the project accepts contributions, translations, and feedback.