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Tools

Small, mostly free tools that save me time, sorted by what they help with. Search for something specific, or pick an area.

Looking for my own setup instead? That lives on Uses.

80 tools in 23 categories

AI assistants

Ask, research and think things through.

Web & appClaudeThinking partner for writing, research and code.Web & appChatGPTGeneral-purpose assistant for questions and drafts.Web & appGeminiGoogle's assistant, connected to its apps.WebNotebookLMAsk questions about your own documents and notes.Web & appPerplexityAnswers with the sources linked.

AI for code

Agents and editors that write code with you.

CLI & editorClaude CodeAn agent that reads, edits and ships code in your repo.EditorCursorA code editor built around AI.EditorGitHub CopilotCode suggestions and chat inside your editor.Webv0Describe a UI and get working React and Tailwind.

AI for audio & video

Voices and sound for videos and lessons.

WebElevenLabsNatural voice-overs for videos and lessons.

Web development

Inspect, test and debug websites.

ExtensionFake FillerFills forms with random data so testing goes faster.ExtensionJSON ViewerReadable, collapsible JSON right in the browser.ExtensionWappalyzerReveals the stack behind any website.ExtensionWhatFontIdentify the font on any page with one click.WebSimilarSitesFind websites similar to one you already like.

Code screenshots

Turn code into images worth sharing.

WebCarbonBeautiful, shareable screenshots of your code.VS CodeCodeSnapCode screenshots straight from your editor.WebRay.soPolished code images with great themes, by Raycast.

Colours & gradients

Palettes, gradients and colour pickers.

WebColor HuntHand-picked colour palettes.ExtensionColorPickPick any colour from a page and keep it.WebCoolHueBright gradient swatches by Webkul.WebCSS Gradient GeneratorBuild a CSS gradient and copy the code.WebFlat UI ColorsFlat colour palettes, ready to copy.WebGradient GeneratorGradients with angle and contrast controls, by Shape Factory.WebPigmentColour palettes from sliders, by Shape Factory.WebuiGradientsHand-picked gradients with copyable CSS.

Backgrounds & CSS generators

Patterns, waves, shapes and CSS effects.

WebGet WavesSVG wave dividers between sections.WebPattern MonsterSeamless SVG background patterns.WebBGJarFree SVG backgrounds with a live editor.WebCool BackgroundsAbstract backgrounds you can remix.WebHero PatternsRepeatable SVG background patterns.WebNeumorphism.ioSoft-UI shadows, generated as CSS.WebPatterninjaSeamless patterns from your own shapes.WebPatternizerStripe patterns you can tweak and export.WebShape DividerSVG dividers between page sections.WebStripes GeneratorStriped backgrounds as CSS or images.WebSVG BackgroundsCustomisable SVG backgrounds for the web.WebTrianglifyLow-poly triangle backgrounds.

Icons & emoji

Icon sets and emoji references.

WebFont AwesomeThousands of icons and social logos.WebHeroiconsClean, accessible SVG icons from the Tailwind team.WebIconfinderA search engine for free and premium icons.WebIcons8Icons in every style, plus photos and illustrations.WebEmojipediaEvery emoji, its meaning and how it looks everywhere.WebFlaticonMillions of free icons, in every style.WebNoun ProjectIcons for almost any idea, from a global community.

Illustrations & animation

Free illustrations and ready-made animations.

WebLottieFilesLightweight animations, ready to drop in.WebunDrawOpen-source illustrations in your own colour.WebHumaaansMix-and-match illustrations of people.WebLukasz Adam IllustrationsFree vector illustrations and icons.WebOpen PeepsHand-drawn people you can combine.WebStorysetEditable illustrations you can also animate.

UI inspiration

Real interfaces to learn patterns from.

WebMobbinReal app screens and flows to learn patterns from.

Writing & grammar

Clearer, correct English as you type.

ExtensionGrammarlyGrammar and clarity checks as you type.WebLanguageToolGrammar and style checks in many languages.WebQuillBotParaphrasing and grammar checks.

Translation & pronunciation

Translate words and hear them said.

ExtensionReversoTranslations, synonyms and definitions in context.WebYouGlishHear how native speakers say a word, in context.ExtensionGoogle TranslateTranslate the selected text on any page.

Notes & time tracking

Plan work and see where the time goes.

AppNotionNotes, tasks and docs in one workspace.AppToggl TrackTime tracking that stays out of the way.

Typing practice

Type faster and more accurately.

WebKeybrAdaptive lessons for learning to touch-type.WebMonkeytypeA typing test that actually makes you faster.

Desktop utilities

Small upgrades for your computer.

Windows appPowerToysPower-user utilities for Windows.

Images & screenshots

Capture, compress and polish images.

AppEasyShootScreenshots with arrows, steps and a clean frame, in seconds.ExtensionGoFullPageFull-page screenshots in one click.WebTinyPNGSmaller PNG and JPEG files, same quality.WebDuotoneTwo-colour photo effects, by Shape Factory.AppLightshotGrab part of the screen and share a link.WebPikaPolished screenshots and device mockups in the browser.

Video & YouTube

Watch faster and grow a YouTube channel.

ExtensionVideo Speed ControllerSpeed up any HTML5 video with shortcuts.ExtensionvidIQAnalytics and ideas to grow a YouTube channel.

PDF tools

Merge, split, compress and edit PDFs.

WebiLovePDFMerge, split and compress PDFs.WebSmallpdfCompress, convert and edit PDFs in the browser.WebPDF24 ToolsFree PDF tools with no limits or sign-up.

QR codes

QR codes with your colours and logo.

WebQRCode MonkeyCustom QR codes with your colours and logo.

Presentations

Slide templates for talks and lessons.

WebSlidesgoFree slide templates for Google Slides and PowerPoint.

Privacy & ad blocking

Fewer ads and trackers while you browse.

ExtensionAdBlockBlocks ads and pop-ups on the sites you visit.ExtensionDuckDuckGo Search & Tracker ProtectionPrivate search plus tracker and cookie blocking.

Dark mode

Dark themes for sites that lack one.

ExtensionDark ReaderA dark theme for every website, open source.

Shopping

Price history before you buy.

ExtensionKeepaAmazon price history and drop alerts.

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