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Guide · Open source

How to use DevToys: tools, Smart Detection and extensions

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

DevToys is an open-source desktop app, licensed under MIT and written in C#, that bundles many small utilities for everyday developer chores such as decoding text, formatting JSON or SQL, and compressing images. This guide explains what the app is for, how Smart Detection works with your clipboard, how to find the right tool, and how extensions add more. By the end you will know where DevToys fits in your workflow and what to check before relying on it.

DevToysDevToys-app/DevToys · ★ 32.2k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Open the homepage. Go to https://devtoys.app/ and download the app for your system.
  2. 2Install and launch. Run the installer and open DevToys as a normal desktop app.
  3. 3Copy some data. Copy a piece of text, JSON, or another value to your clipboard.
  4. 4Let Smart Detection suggest a tool. Check which tool the app selects for the clipboard content.
  5. 5Pick a tool by category. Browse the categories such as Encoders/Decoders or Formatters to find a specific tool.
  6. 6Add extensions if needed. Look for additional tools through extensions when the defaults do not cover your task.

What DevToys is for

DevToys is meant to replace trips to many separate online tools for quick, specific tasks. The project describes its tools as tiny utilities for jobs like decoding a piece of text or compressing an image, without having to use untrusted websites for each one.

  • Decode or encode data such as Base64 and URLs
  • Format JSON, SQL or XML
  • Convert between formats such as JSON and YAML
  • Generate hashes, checksums, passwords or Lorem Ipsum text

Know the default tools before you start

The README says DevToys 2.0 comes with 30 default tools, grouped into categories. Browsing these categories is the fastest way to learn what the app covers.

  • Converters: JSON <> YAML, Date, Number bases
  • Encoders/Decoders: HTML, URLs, Base64, GZip, JWT, QR Code
  • Formatters: JSON, SQL, XML
  • Generators: Hash & Checksum, Lorem Ipsum, Password
  • Graphics Tools: Color Blindness Simulator, PNG/JPEG Compressor
  • Testers: JSONPath, RegEx, XML
  • Text Utilities: Markdown Preview, Text Comparer, Analyzer & Utilities

Use Smart Detection with your clipboard

Smart Detection looks at the data currently on your clipboard and selects a relevant tool for it. This means you can copy a piece of data first and let the app suggest where to take it next, rather than searching for the right tool by name.

The README does not describe the exact detection rules, so treat the suggestion as a starting point and check the output yourself.

Add more tools with extensions

Beyond the 30 default tools, more are available through extensions. The README also links to developer documentation at devtoys.app/doc for anyone who wants to build their own.

Install DevToys and check platform support

The source describes DevToys as a graphical desktop app and lists no prerequisites. The README's install-related line is a git clone command for the repository, which gets you the source code rather than the app itself. For the app, the project homepage at https://devtoys.app/ is the reference point.

The README does not detail platform support beyond the topics it lists, so confirm which operating systems are supported on the homepage before you install.

  • Get the app from the project homepage: https://devtoys.app/
  • Clone the source code only if you want to read or build it: git clone https://github.com/DevToys-app/DevToys
git clone https://github.com/DevToys-app/DevToys

Privacy, licence and contributing

DevToys is a GUI app, so there is no command-line mode described in the source. The project keeps its privacy policy in PRIVACY-POLICY.md and its licence in LICENSE.md in the repository. Contribution guidelines are in CONTRIBUTING.md. Read the privacy policy if you work with sensitive data.

What people use it for

  • Decoding a Base64 string or URL-encoded text from a log
  • Formatting messy JSON or SQL before reading it
  • Converting JSON to YAML for a config file
  • Compressing a PNG or JPEG image for a web page
  • Generating a hash or checksum to verify a file

Frequently asked questions

Is DevToys free?

DevToys is open source and its repository is licensed under MIT, which the source lists. Check LICENSE.md in the repository for the full licence terms.

What does DevToys do?

DevToys bundles many small developer utilities, including encoders and decoders, formatters, converters, generators, graphics tools, testers and text utilities. The README says it offers 30 default tools in DevToys 2.0.

How do I install DevToys?

The project homepage at https://devtoys.app/ is the place to get the app. The README's git clone command is for the source code repository.

Does DevToys send my data online?

The README says the app is meant to avoid pasting data into untrusted websites, but it does not detail its data handling here. Read the PRIVACY-POLICY.md file in the repository before using it with sensitive data.

What are the alternatives to DevToys?

The comparable projects listed for this item are CyberChef and IT-Tools. They cover similar data-handling tasks, so you can compare them against the tools you use most.

Can I add my own tools to DevToys?

Yes, more tools are available through extensions, and the README links to developer documentation at devtoys.app/doc for building your own.

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Our verdict

DevToys suits developers who often decode, encode or format small pieces of data and want one graphical app instead of many websites. It is not a fit if you need a command-line-only tool or a platform the project does not clearly support, so check the homepage before installing.

Install options & downloads