Developer tools simplify and streamline the development process, allowing developers to work more efficiently and effectively. These tools provide functionalities like code conversion, encryption, data processing, and time management, saving time and effort. Furthermore, they enhance the quality and reliability of software by providing mechanisms for testing, debugging, and ensuring data integrity.
Developer tools promote consistency and standardization across projects and enable collaboration among team members. They also facilitate the integration of different technologies and systems, making it easier to build applications. Developer tools are indispensable for modern software development, enabling developers to create high-quality software in a more productive manner.
This article discusses a wide range of developer tools, including the Base64 converter, JWT decoder, IPv4 and IPv6 subnet, hash value and UNIX time calculators, and the UUID V4 generator. These developer tools can be used for several applications: from transferring information into safe code to enhancing the performance of routers through subnetting, and much more. Keep reading to find out what you can do with these tools and what their advantages are.
Base64 Converter
Base64 is a useful developer tool that can convert binary code to ASCII-characters. Most protocols on websites traditionally use 7-bits ASCII-text and cannot handle the 8-bits binary code. Base64 can transfer the binary code into ASCII-characters, which is often used to code attachments for email. It can also include small size images in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript.
Base64 can be applied to any random string of binary code. A binary file often uses a 16 character hexadecimal form, using the characters 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E and F. Base64 works with an algorithm that transfers the bytes into groups of three. Three times eight bytes is 24 bits that are then regrouped into groups of four. Each byte represents four bits. Because Base64 is a six bits program, there are 64 possibilities, which is also the reason that Base64 has the number 64 in its name. There is also a Base58 encoder, which only uses 58 characters.
Advantages of using Base64
Base64 is a reliable encoder and decoder. Because the 64 characters that the program uses are almost always present in a character set, it is safe to say that your message will arrive at its destination uncorrupted. With this tool it is possible to translate small images, Chinese characters, and emoji into printable text that can be read anywhere. Codes are also formulated a lot shorter when encoded with Base64. Instead of a long string of binary code, Base64 only needs a small string of characters.
Base64 can also be used to encode data that might be corrupted or unsupported in its normal state. There are countless applications, but Base64 is mainly used to encode files with emails, embed images, save binary files to a database and output binary data as XML or JSON in API responses. Unfortunately, there is also a dark side to Base64. For cyber criminals, Base64 is a great way to hide plaintext elements in the early stages of an attack.
Base64 code can also be used to facilitate DNS data exfiltration. This means that data between two computers can be exchanged from a distance, without any direct connection. Base64 is sometimes referred to as “a nightmare for security analysts”. A handy Base64 converter and other useful developer tools can be found at Gcore.com.
JWT Decoder
A JWT can help safely share your information with the server and contains relevant parties that need to know your information. This is useful when you log into a computer of an organization or an application that requires your information, and later want to use another computer without having to log in again. The JWT passes on your information to another domain within the organization. Because the information passed through JWT is already authenticated, there’s no need to sign in again.
A JWT is represented by either a JWS (JSON Web Signature) object or a JWE (JSON Web Encryption) object. Both of these objects can be recognized by their three components, which are a header, payload (sometimes referred to as body), and signature. The header contains the type of object in the payload and sometimes extra encoding, the payload is the JWT claims set, and the signature is the header and payload encoded using the algorithm specified in the header. Using the signature is not mandatory, but it is often used to verify the contents of the header and payload.
Advantages of using JWT
The JWT Decoder is a tool that can be used to decode a JWS or JWE. This tool can not only decode the JWT but can also verify its integrity. Using JWT is a secure way to get a user’s information. The program works with a secret key to encrypt the JSON formatted Data. This encryption formulates a token that is sent to be decrypted by the server whenever the user sends the request. If the server is successful with decrypting the code, the user-id corresponding with the token will be received from the JWS and the user will be able to log in.
JWT’s compared to other web tokens are definitely more compact. They are much smaller than a SAML token and can therefore be passed through HTML and HTTP environments much more easily. They also have different applications. For example, JWT’s can be used to safely authenticate credentials, but also when a user needs an Access Token to carry out a request, such as accessing a router or API’s. These Access Tokens are often in the form of a JWT. SSO uses JWT because it can be used on different domains and has a small format.
Source: picture from Unsplash.com by Ferenc Almasi https://unsplash.com/photos/HfFoo4d061A 01-18-2021
IPv4 and IPv6 Subnet Calculators
IP addresses consist of a unique combination of characters and periods, and are used to identify a device when it connects to the internet. When there was not much demand for IP addresses yet, IPv4 was sufficient to produce enough IP addresses. However, as the demand increased, IPv6 was rolled out to be able to provide billions of devices with a unique IP address. With IPv6, 360 undecillion addresses can be created.
IPv4 works with a 32-bit type binary format. There are 255 options of combinations regarding 0’s and 1’s creating four octets separated by periods. IPv4 uses classes to distinguish the size of its networks. Class A can contain a few big networks, Class C is for thousands of small networks, and Class B is for networks that are in between. IPv6 uses 128 bits divided into eight blocks, which each contain 16 bits and are separated by a colon. This type of IP does not use classes. Instead, it uses subnetting to adjust network sizes.
Both IPv4 and IPv6 allow subnetting. Subnetting is necessary because it makes it easier for routers to find the right device to route the information to. If a class system is used, there could be countless devices and it could take the router a long time to find the right device. Subnetting allows IP addresses to be grouped together. For example, an organization with hundreds of computers can subnet the IP addresses of the devices of a certain department together. Subnetting enhances the performance of the internet and the network speed. To find the right amount of subnets and hosts that can fit in, a subnet calculator is often consulted.
Advantages of using subnet calculators
To find the number of possible subnets for an address block, a subnet calculator can be quite handy. It’s possible to calculate the number of subnets without a calculator, but using a calculator is usually more accurate. You’ll need to input the network class, IP address, and subnet mask and the calculator will return the possible number of subnets in a bigger network, the number of hosts that can fit in a subnet, and the size of all the subnets. Subnet calculators can also double check manual calculations before they are configured in the router.
Hash Value Calculator
Hashing is the act of taking a certain piece of information and converting it into an output string of a fixed length. Simply said, it runs information through a certain algorithm and returns an output of a standard length, no matter how long the message is. Hash functions are a tool in modern cryptography and have many applications. Hashing is a secure way to protect and process information as it is a one-way function. It is very easy to convert a message into hash, but converting it back takes a lot of computing power. This is why cryptocurrencies often use hash to provide security to their blockchain.
Hash is calculated by means of a hash calculator. The first thing a hash calculator does is to put information into data blocks. The size of the data in these blocks is fixed and depends on the algorithm that is used, and may sometimes contain padding. A hash function is repeated the same number of times as there are data blocks. This works according to the snowball effect, where the output from the first data block is fed into the next until there are no more data blocks. The result of the calculation is a combination of all data blocks. If any information in the message is changed during the process, the hash output will be completely different.
Advantages of using hash value calculators
Hashing is applied widely, mainly because it is easy to hash a message but not to reverse it. This makes hashing safe to encrypt sensitive information, such as passwords and messages and will protect the information from attacks. It also quickly and efficiently processes large amounts of data, and can produce unique data. It’s highly unlikely that when a message is hashed multiple times, using the same algorithm, will produce different output.
Hash functions can be used to compare files for equality, verify the integrity of a file, and identify differences in a file. Passwords are often hashed as well and when logging in, the hash is compared to the hash stored on the server to allow quick logging in. The main advantage of using a hash calculator is that it is easy and the information generated will always be identical to a piece of data.
UNIX Time Calculator
UNIX time is a system mainly used by computers to display time. It measures the seconds that have gone by since January 1st, 1970 00:00:00 UTC. The UNIX time system was developed in the 1960’s to represent time as a number. Because of this representation it’s easier to analyze and use time across different systems.
January 1st, 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC is also known as the UNIX Epoch and was picked because of the uniformity of this date. This exact date and time in the UNIX system is displayed as zero. Every second that passed after the epoch added one to the value and the time that passed before January 1st, 1970 is represented as a negative value.
Advantages of using UNIX time calculators
Using UNIX time has many benefits. For example, when applied in software, it makes the code easier to understand and less prone to errors. It also allows data to pass through systems without becoming incoherent. Regardless of time zones, the UNIX time will not change its value and therefore it can be universally used. A UNIX time calculator can be used to determine the UNIX value of a certain time in the past or in the future. It can also be used backwards. For example, if there is a UNIX timestamp in your code and you want to convert it back, you can input the UNIX time and it will return a readable time and date.
UUID v4 Generator
UUID stands for Universally Unique Identifier. UUID provides a 36-character string that can be used to identify information in a database. For example, webstores have databases with client information. Clients can be found when inputting information such as name or address into a search field. However, there might be clients with the same name or address. To make their information unique, a UUID can be assigned to specific information.
Currently, there are eight versions of UUID, but UUID v4 is the simplest version to understand. V4 produces a random string of 128 bit pieces of data displayed in 32 hexadecimal digits (letter a to z and numbers 0 to 9). Generating a UUID is simple, as most programming languages and distributed databases have libraries and make generating a UUID similar to calling a function. With most programming languages, packages can be downloaded and UUID can simply be called. Since a UUID v4 is completely random, the only way to generate one yourself is to use a UUID v4 generator.
Advantages of using UUID v4
The values of UUID v4 are completely random making them unique across databases. It’s not completely impossible to generate the same UUID, but since there are so many options, it’s highly unlikely that it will happen. Because of its randomness, it is possible to merge databases or distribute them across multiple servers. They also don’t give out data so they are safe to use in a URL. One last advantage is that UUID is integrated in most programming languages’ libraries and can simply be imported, making it very easy to use while coding.
Conclusion
This article discussed several developer tools that can be found on Gcore.com. Overall, these developer tools offer advantages such as data conversion, security, efficiency, compatibility, and ease of use.
Base64 is used to convert binary code to ASCII-characters, allowing binary code to be transferred as text. This is useful for encoding email attachments and embedding small images in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. The advantages of using Base64 include reliable transfer of messages, compatibility with character sets, and shorter code representation. JWTs securely share information with servers without the need to log in again. The decoder verifies the integrity of the token and retrieves the user’s information. JWTs are compact, suitable for different applications like authentication and access tokens, and widely used in Single Sign-On (SSO) systems.
IPv4 and IPv6 Subnet Calculators help determine the number of subnets and hosts that can be accommodated in a network. Subnetting improves routing efficiency and network performance. Using a subnet calculator ensures accurate calculations and facilitates configuration in routers. Hash Value Calculator is another interesting developer tool. Hashing converts information into a fixed-length output string, providing security and efficient processing. Hash calculators enable easy hashing and ensure consistent results.
The UNIX time Calculator can be used to convert timestamps to UNIX time, which represents time as a number as of January 1st, 1970. UNIX time simplifies time analysis and cross-system compatibility. The calculator helps convert UNIX time to readable time and vice versa. Lastly, UUIDs are universally unique identifiers used to identify information in databases. UUID v4 is a random 128-bit string represented in hexadecimal digits. UUID v4 generators produce unique identifiers that can be easily integrated into databases and distributed systems.
