Universal Toolbox 🛠️

Universal Toolbox is a comprehensive, beautifully designed open-source workspace featuring 700+ curated tools across 50+ categories, including a growing Open Source Power Tools collection with deep-dive blogs that showcase free alternatives to expensive proprietary software. It is built as a high-performance Progressive Web App (PWA) to ensure your essential tools are always just one click away.

Live Demo · Report Bug · Contributing

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🚀 Tech Stack

Category	Technologies
Frontend
State & Logic
Performance
Backend

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✨ Key Features

• 700+ Curated Tools: A massive collection covering AI, Design, Development, SEO, and Productivity.
• Open Source Power Tools: A dedicated category of free, open-source alternatives (Blender, GIMP, OBS, LibreOffice, Immich, Jellyfin, VS Code, Ollama, Bitwarden, and more) that replace paid software.
• Per-Tool Deep-Dive Blogs: In-depth posts explaining what each power tool is, why it replaces its proprietary counterpart, and how to get started.
• Instant Search: Global Cmd+K shortcut for lightning-fast discovery.
• Progressive Web App: Install natively on Android, iOS, or Desktop for offline-ready access.
• Personalization: Dark/Light mode support, local bookmarks, and custom tool collections.
• Inline Previews: Side-panel iframe previews allow you to use tools without losing your place.
• Privacy Centric: All bookmarks and settings stay on your device via localStorage.

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🛠️ Installation & Development

Quick Start (Local Development)

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/alpha-1-design/universal-toolbox.git
cd universal-toolbox

# Setup Frontend
cd frontend
npm install
npm run dev

Visit http://localhost:5173.

Backend Setup (Optional)

cd backend
npm install
node server.js

Runs on http://localhost:3001.

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📦 Project Structure

• frontend/src/components: UI components including the Sidebar, ToolCards, and Iframe panels.
• frontend/src/data: The core engine containing the 700+ tool definitions, 50+ categories, and the per-tool blog content (tools9.js + blogs.js).
• frontend/src/context: Global state management for theme, bookmarks, and notifications.
• backend/: Express API for extended functionality and data synchronization.

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📜 Contributing & Community

We welcome contributions! Whether you're adding new tools or improving the UI, please check out our Contributing Guide.

Distributed under the MIT License. Built for the Alpha-1 Ecosystem.