Blog
Practical guides to getting more out of your files — how to merge, convert, compress, sign and protect documents, and the free tools that do each job in your browser.
ObjectId vs UUID vs NanoID: Which ID Should You Use?
A practical comparison of MongoDB ObjectId, UUID v4 and v7, NanoID and ULID — length, sortability, index behaviour, what each one leaks, and when to use which.
What Your Photos Reveal About You (And How to Strip It)
Photos carry GPS coordinates, timestamps and camera serial numbers in EXIF data. Here's what is stored, who can see it, and how to remove it.
Are Online Password Generators Safe?
A password generated on a server has been known to that server. Here's how to tell which generators are safe, and what actually makes a password strong.
Is It Safe to Paste Production Data Into Online Tools?
JWTs, API responses and env files get pasted into online formatters every day. Here's what actually happens to that data and how to check before you paste.
Do Free Online PDF Tools Upload Your Files? How to Check
Most online PDF tools upload your file to a server. How to tell which ones do, why it matters, and how to check any tool yourself in 30 seconds.
Why Browser-Based Tools Are Safer for Your Files
Most online converters upload your files to a server. Client-side tools don't. Here's why that difference matters for privacy.
Working with JSON, XML and YAML: Format, Validate and Convert
Messy config or API response? Learn to pretty-print, validate and convert between JSON, XML, YAML and CSV in seconds.
Image Optimization: Compress, Resize and Convert
Faster pages and smaller files start with good images. Learn how to compress, resize and convert images without wrecking quality.
OCR: Turn Scanned PDFs and Images into Editable Text
What OCR is, when to use it, and how to extract text from scans, photos and image-only PDFs — privately, in your browser.
PDF Passwords Explained: What They Do and Don't Protect
What a PDF password actually encrypts, why permissions restrictions are weaker than they look, and why a forgotten password means the document is gone.
How to Sign a PDF Electronically for Free
Add your signature to a PDF by drawing, typing or uploading it — no printer, no scanner. A quick guide to e-signing safely.
Convert PDF to Word, Excel and PowerPoint — and Back
Turn PDFs into editable Office documents and convert Office files to PDF, all in your browser. What works well, and what to expect.
How to Compress a PDF Without Losing Quality
How to compress a PDF without losing quality: why files get large, which method to use for scans vs text, and how to hit a target size. Nothing uploaded.
How to Merge and Split PDF Files Online (Free, No Upload)
Combine multiple PDFs into one or break a big PDF into pages — free, in your browser, with nothing uploaded. A step-by-step guide.