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Developer tutorials, guides, and tips
Free Developer Tools in 2026: The 60-Tool Stack
The definitive guide to 60+ free online developer tools, organized by category with opinionated picks.
AI / LLMCounting LLM Tokens Without Surprise Bills
Practical patterns for predicting and controlling LLM API costs across GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama.
AccessibilityDesigning for 300M People with Color Vision Deficiency
Practical patterns for designing UIs that work for the ~8% of users with color vision deficiency.
SecurityTOTP, HOTP, and Why Your 2FA Actually Works
A walkthrough of RFC 6238 (TOTP) and RFC 4226 (HOTP) with implementation notes.
Code & DataWhy I Migrated to UUID v7 for New Databases
UUID v7 in production: B-tree performance, migration patterns, and pitfalls.
PrivacyWhy I Build Everything Client-Side
The architectural philosophy behind BoltQuickTools, plus the honest trade-offs of avoiding a backend.
GamingMaintaining Drop Picker Rosters Across Six Battle Royales
How I keep gaming randomizer data accurate across patches, plus how the fair-pick algorithm actually works.
NetworkingThe IPv4 Subnet Math I Wish I Had Learned Sooner
A practical, no-tables guide to CIDR, subnet masks, and counting hosts the way network engineers actually think.
SecurityHashing Passwords in 2026: Argon2, bcrypt, and What Not to Use
What password hashing algorithm to use today, with parameter recommendations and a migration playbook.
Image & MediaStop Uploading Your Images: Browser Canvas Is Faster Than You Think
Why client-side image processing in the browser is faster than uploading to a server, with the performance limits.
ArchitectureBuilding a Lightning-Fast Static Site With Zero Frameworks
How I built a fast 100+ page static tool site with no framework, no bundler, and a Python script for templating.
Code & DataYAML, TOML, JSON5: When Each Format Wins
When to choose YAML, TOML, JSON5, or plain JSON for configuration. Practical differences and pitfalls.
DebuggingCORS, Preflight, and the Five-Minute Debugging Flow
How CORS actually works, why preflight requests happen, and the diagnostic flow I run when CORS fails.
Web & DesignModern CSS Color in 2026: OKLCH, P3, and What You Can Ship
Which modern CSS color features are safe to ship today: OKLCH, P3, color-mix(), and relative color syntax.
Code & DataThe Complete Guide to Working with JSON
Everything developers need to know about JSON: parsing, formatting, validation, schema, and converting between formats.
Image & MediaImage Optimization for the Web: A Developer's Guide
Learn how to compress, resize, convert, and optimize images for faster web pages without sacrificing quality.
EncodingUnderstanding Character Encoding: Base64, URL Encoding, and More
A deep dive into encoding schemes every developer encounters: Base64, URL encoding, HTML entities, and Unicode.
SecurityWeb Security Fundamentals: Hashing, JWTs, and Certificates
Essential security concepts for developers: cryptographic hashing, JSON Web Tokens, SSL certificates, and key generation.
Code & DataA Developer's Guide to Regular Expressions
Master regex from basics to advanced patterns. Lookaheads, groups, common recipes, and debugging tips.
Web & DesignCSS Layouts in 2026: Flexbox, Grid, and Beyond
A practical guide to modern CSS layout techniques with visual examples and code you can copy.
Web & DesignColor Theory and Accessibility for Developers
How to choose accessible color palettes, understand WCAG contrast requirements, and build inclusive interfaces.
UtilitiesAPI Testing Without Postman: Lightweight Alternatives
How to test REST APIs directly in your browser or terminal without installing heavy desktop apps.
Code & DataTypeScript Tips: Types from JSON, Schema, and API Responses
Generate TypeScript types automatically from JSON data, API responses, and JSON Schema definitions.
SecurityProtecting Your Privacy: Image Metadata and EXIF Data
Why the photos you share online may reveal your location, camera, and habits, and how to strip that data.
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