Personal VS Code tools. Plain JavaScript, no build step, no dependencies.
Tools
Command
Shortcut
What it does
Simple Dev Tools: Pretty Print JSON and Unescape
⌘⌥U (mac) / Ctrl+Alt+U
If the text is valid JSON, pretty-prints it (2-space indent). Then decodes all JSON escapes (\n, \t, \r, \", \\, \uXXXX, ...). Works on the selection, or the whole file when nothing is selected.
Simple Dev Tools: Convert JSON Log Lines to Markdown
⌘⌥M (mac) / Ctrl+Alt+M
One list item per field (- **key**: value). Values that are multi-line or 70+ characters go in a nested code block: json (pretty-printed) for embedded JSON, python for tracebacks and dict reprs, text otherwise. Unquoted date-times, dates and times (with seconds) in short values and python/text blocks (e.g. 2026-11-09T18:11:02.410117+00:00, 2026-11-09 18:11:02.407041+00, 2026-11-09, 18:11:02) get double quotes; dates inside paths, ids or existing quoted strings are left alone. In python blocks a " string left open by truncation is closed after the ... (or at line end) so the preview highlighting does not break. Each log line becomes a section split by ---; non-JSON lines are kept as they are. When nothing is selected, the whole file is converted and its language set to Markdown.
Simple Dev Tools: Explain Selected HTTP Status Code
⌘⌥J (mac) / Ctrl+Alt+J
Select a status code (e.g. 404) and hover it, or use the shortcut: a popup shows its name, class, meaning and a link to its MDN page. Only selected, known codes trigger it, so ordinary numbers stay quiet.
Simple Dev Tools: Search Google for Selected Text
⌘⌥G (mac) / Ctrl+Alt+G
Opens a Google search for the selection (line breaks collapsed to spaces) in the default browser, or for the word under the cursor when nothing is selected.
All tools are also in the editor right-click menu under Simple Dev Tools.
Develop
Run tests: npm test
Try changes live: open this folder in VS Code and press F5.
Install: npm run package && code --install-extension simple-dev-tools-*.vsix
Add a tool
Put the pure logic in src/<tool>.js with a test in test/.
Register the command in extension.js (transformEditorText covers "rewrite the selected text" tools).
Add the command to contributes.commands, the simpleDevTools.menu submenu, commandPalette and
optionally keybindings in package.json.
