Why I Built a 100% Client-Side CSV to JSON Converter (And Kept It Free)

Working with data formats is a daily reality for most developers, backend engineers, and data analysts. If you've ever had to quickly dump a CSV file into a database or an API, you probably needed it in JSON format first. When you search for a converter online, you're usually met with a few frustrating scenarios: tools that are bloated with ads, services that require you to upload your potentially sensitive data to their servers, or "freemium" products that lock you out if your file is over a certain size. I got tired of navigating this landscape, so I built a tool to solve the problem directly in the browser. The Problem with Paid Data Converters Many commercial data conversion tools charge subscriptions because they process your files on their own infrastructure. They have to pay for server compute time, storage, and bandwidth. To recoup those costs, they put limits on file sizes or lock batch processing behind paywalls. But for a straightforward task like turning CSV into JSON, serv