Toolknit

Hey Indie Hackers,

115 days ago I asked myself one question: why do "free" online tools always upload my files to their servers?

That question became ToolKnit — 90 browser-based tools across 10 categories (PDF, image, video, audio, text, calculators, timers, creative, AI, self-tests). Every single one runs 100% locally via WebAssembly. Zero uploads. Zero accounts. Zero tracking.

Some numbers:

• 90 tools shipped in 115 days

• 141 articles, guides & changelog entries published

• 115+ days stable uptime

• 46+ changelog entries documenting every update

• 1 solo developer (me), shipping almost daily

The tech stack is simple: vanilla HTML/CSS/JS, WebAssembly for heavy processing, and a Baota-managed server for static file hosting. No framework, no build step, no CI/CD pipeline. Just me editing files and SCPing them to the server.

What surprised me:

1. Browser capabilities in 2026 are insane. Canvas, WebAssembly, File API — you can build real tools without a backend.

2. Privacy is a real differentiator. "Your files never leave your device" resonates more than I expected.

3. Solo dev speed is underrated. No meetings, no PR reviews, no sprint planning. I see a problem, I fix it, I deploy. Same day.

4. SEO compounds. My blog posts from day 1 are still bringing traffic on day 115.

What's hard:

1. Marketing. I'd rather write code than write tweets.

2. Staying motivated at 2 AM when you're the only one who cares.

3. The loneliness of solo building. There's no one to high-five when you ship.

What's next:

• More AI-powered tools (just added Tarot, Text Adventure, Life Trajectory)

• Building a new project: a 4-AI round-robin chat platform (4ai1.com)

• Keeping ToolKnit 100% free. No paywall, ever.

If you've made it this far — thanks for reading. Drop a comment if you have questions, tool requests, or just want to say hi. Fellow solo devs, I see you.

Built with love (and a lot of coffee),

Winter