{ "version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1.1", "title": "Toolshed — dev infra & tooling", "home_page_url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/", "feed_url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/feed.json", "description": "Practical dev infra and tooling notes — home servers, free-tier VMs, secrets management, MCP servers, and shipping software solo — by Chirag Singhal.", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "language": "en", "items": [ { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/run-80-sites-solo-zero-cost-free-tier-stack-2026/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/run-80-sites-solo-zero-cost-free-tier-stack-2026/", "title": "How I run 80+ sites solo for ₹0: the exact free-tier stack (2026)", "content_text": "The real Cloudflare + Astro + GitHub Actions + keyless-AI stack one solo dev uses to build and run 80+ live sites, tools, and APIs at zero monthly cost — and exactly where the free tiers bite.", "summary": "The real Cloudflare + Astro + GitHub Actions + keyless-AI stack one solo dev uses to build and run 80+ live sites, tools, and APIs at zero monthly cost — and exactly where the free tiers bite.", "date_published": "2026-08-13T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-08-13T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "cloudflare", "astro", "free-tier", "solo-developer", "static-sites", "github-actions", "self-hosting" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/managing-50-repos-solo-developer/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/managing-50-repos-solo-developer/", "title": "Managing 50+ repos as a solo developer: what actually works", "content_text": "After two years and fifty-odd repositories, here is the honest system I use to keep a large personal portfolio from becoming a liability.", "summary": "After two years and fifty-odd repositories, here is the honest system I use to keep a large personal portfolio from becoming a liability.", "date_published": "2026-07-31T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-07-31T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "solo-dev", "git", "monorepo", "open-source", "productivity", "indie-hacking" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-agent-what-is-it/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-agent-what-is-it/", "title": "Hermes Agent: what it actually is in 2026 (not the LLM)", "content_text": "Hermes Agent (NousResearch/hermes-agent) is a real terminal agent CLI with 210K stars, MCP support, and a skills system. It is completely separate from the NousResearch Hermes LLM series.", "summary": "Hermes Agent (NousResearch/hermes-agent) is a real terminal agent CLI with 210K stars, MCP support, and a skills system. It is completely separate from the NousResearch Hermes LLM series.", "date_published": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "ai-agents", "hermes", "nous-research", "coding-agents", "mcp" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-openclaw-deep-dive/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-openclaw-deep-dive/", "title": "Hermes Agent and OpenClaw: what they actually are (2026)", "content_text": "Part 1 of 2 — Before comparing Hermes Agent and OpenClaw to Claude Code and OpenCode, you need to know what they actually are. Deep-research findings from 100 agents, primary sources only.", "summary": "Part 1 of 2 — Before comparing Hermes Agent and OpenClaw to Claude Code and OpenCode, you need to know what they actually are. Deep-research findings from 100 agents, primary sources only.", "date_published": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "ai-agents", "hermes-agent", "openclaw", "nous-research", "coding-agents", "deep-research" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-openclaw-vs-claude-code-opencode/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-openclaw-vs-claude-code-opencode/", "title": "Hermes vs OpenClaw vs Claude Code vs OpenCode — the real comparison (2026)", "content_text": "These four terminal agents appear in the same lists. Here is what each one is, verified from primary sources, and which to use for what job.", "summary": "These four terminal agents appear in the same lists. Here is what each one is, verified from primary sources, and which to use for what job.", "date_published": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "ai-agents", "claude-code", "opencode", "hermes-agent", "openclaw", "comparison" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-openclaw-vs-claude-code-pick/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-openclaw-vs-claude-code-pick/", "title": "Hermes Agent vs OpenClaw vs Claude Code vs OpenCode: pick the right tool (2026)", "content_text": "Part 2 of 2 — The full comparison table and decision guide, built from verified primary sources. Stars, MCP, skills, Windows, free tier, and what each tool is actually for.", "summary": "Part 2 of 2 — The full comparison table and decision guide, built from verified primary sources. Stars, MCP, skills, Windows, free tier, and what each tool is actually for.", "date_published": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "ai-agents", "claude-code", "opencode", "hermes-agent", "openclaw", "comparison", "deep-research" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-vs-openclaw-architecture/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-vs-openclaw-architecture/", "title": "Hermes Agent vs OpenClaw: they are not the same kind of tool (Part 1)", "content_text": "I tested both Hermes Agent and OpenClaw on the same tasks for a month. The answer isn't which one is better — it's that they were built from opposite directions. Here's the architecture that drives everything.", "summary": "I tested both Hermes Agent and OpenClaw on the same tasks for a month. The answer isn't which one is better — it's that they were built from opposite directions. Here's the architecture that drives everything.", "date_published": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "ai-agents", "hermes-agent", "openclaw", "comparison", "architecture", "deep-research" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-vs-openclaw-which-to-use/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hermes-vs-openclaw-which-to-use/", "title": "Hermes Agent vs OpenClaw: which one should you use — and can you run both? (Part 2)", "content_text": "Part 2: the decision guide, the combined setup, and the honest trade-offs. Based on a month of real testing.", "summary": "Part 2: the decision guide, the combined setup, and the honest trade-offs. Based on a month of real testing.", "date_published": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "ai-agents", "hermes-agent", "openclaw", "comparison", "setup", "deep-research" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/openclaw-what-is-it/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/openclaw-what-is-it/", "title": "OpenClaw: messaging gateway with an agent loop inside", "content_text": "OpenClaw routes AI through WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and 15+ other channels. It also has a skills system and agent loop — and Hermes Agent can migrate from it. Here is what it is.", "summary": "OpenClaw routes AI through WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and 15+ other channels. It also has a skills system and agent loop — and Hermes Agent can migrate from it. Here is what it is.", "date_published": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "ai-agents", "openclaw", "messaging-gateway", "coding-agents" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/consolidated-clean-web-search-mcp-server/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/consolidated-clean-web-search-mcp-server/", "title": "One Search MCP Server to Rule Them All: Free, Clean, and Optimized for Claude Code & Cursor", "content_text": "Ditch the multiple search servers that bloat your context and hit rate limits. Here is how to configure a single, clean, and free search setup for Claude Code and Cursor.", "summary": "Ditch the multiple search servers that bloat your context and hit rate limits. Here is how to configure a single, clean, and free search setup for Claude Code and Cursor.", "date_published": "2026-06-29T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "mcp", "search", "developer-tools", "claude-code", "cursor", "configuration" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/the-ultimate-free-clean-web-search-mcp-server-2026/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/the-ultimate-free-clean-web-search-mcp-server-2026/", "title": "The Quest for the Perfect Web Search MCP Server: Free, Fast, and Context-Friendly", "content_text": "Tired of context bloat and rate limits? Here is how to consolidate your AI search tools into a single, clean, and completely free MCP setup in 2026.", "summary": "Tired of context bloat and rate limits? Here is how to consolidate your AI search tools into a single, clean, and completely free MCP setup in 2026.", "date_published": "2026-06-29T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "mcp", "developer-tools", "claudecode", "cursor", "web-search", "ai" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/git-repos-onedrive-vs-local-drive/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/git-repos-onedrive-vs-local-drive/", "title": "OneDrive vs Local Drive for Git Repos: The Definitive Answer (With 3 TB OneDrive and 150 GB Local)", "content_text": "Should you clone your GitHub repositories into OneDrive or keep them on your local drive? If you have 150 GB local storage but 3 TB on OneDrive, the answer is not obvious — until you understand what OneDrive does to a Git repository. This post covers corruption risks, performance costs, the Dev Drive solution, and the exact workflow to use in 2026.", "summary": "Should you clone your GitHub repositories into OneDrive or keep them on your local drive? If you have 150 GB local storage but 3 TB on OneDrive, the answer is not obvious — until you understand what OneDrive does to a Git repository. This post covers corruption risks, performance costs, the Dev Drive solution, and the exact workflow to use in 2026.", "date_published": "2026-06-16T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-16T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/envpact-centralized-serverless-secrets-manager-solo-developers/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/envpact-centralized-serverless-secrets-manager-solo-developers/", "title": "envpact — The Complete Engineering Specification for a Centralized, Serverless Secrets Manager for Solo Developers", "content_text": "A comprehensive engineering specification and vision document for envpact: a $0, serverless, Git-backed secrets management ecosystem with a Node.js CLI, Python module, MCP server, VS Code extension, GitHub Action, and web dashboard — all designed for solo developers managing 100+ public repositories.", "summary": "A comprehensive engineering specification and vision document for envpact: a $0, serverless, Git-backed secrets management ecosystem with a Node.js CLI, Python module, MCP server, VS Code extension, GitHub Action, and web dashboard — all designed for solo developers managing 100+ public repositories.", "date_published": "2026-06-15T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-15T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/diy-secrets-manager-private-git-cli-npm/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/diy-secrets-manager-private-git-cli-npm/", "title": "Build Your Own Secrets Manager: Private Git, Zero-Dependency CLI, and NPM Packaging", "content_text": "Why Doppler and dotenvx fall short for solo developers with 100+ public repos — and how to build and package a 100% free, central secrets manager using a private Git repository and a Node.js CLI.", "summary": "Why Doppler and dotenvx fall short for solo developers with 100+ public repos — and how to build and package a 100% free, central secrets manager using a private Git repository and a Node.js CLI.", "date_published": "2026-06-06T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-06T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "Secrets Management", "DevOps", "Node.js", "NPM", "Security", "Open Source" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hp-pavilion-windows-home-server-complete-guide/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/hp-pavilion-windows-home-server-complete-guide/", "title": "HP Pavilion 14-dv2077TU as a Windows Home Server: The Complete 2026 Guide", "content_text": "A step-by-step guide to turning your HP Pavilion 14-dv2077TU (i5-1235U, 16GB DDR4 dual-channel) into a full-featured Windows home server—without wiping Windows—hosting Docker services, Cloudflare tunnels, Ollama, Open WebUI, Odysseus AI, Nextcloud, Vaultwarden, and more.", "summary": "A step-by-step guide to turning your HP Pavilion 14-dv2077TU (i5-1235U, 16GB DDR4 dual-channel) into a full-featured Windows home server—without wiping Windows—hosting Docker services, Cloudflare tunnels, Ollama, Open WebUI, Odysseus AI, Nextcloud, Vaultwarden, and more.", "date_published": "2026-06-05T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-05T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/azure-for-students-free-vms-2026/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/azure-for-students-free-vms-2026/", "title": "Azure for Students: The Ultimate Free Cloud Guide (No Credit Card & No GitHub Pack Required)", "content_text": "A comprehensive guide for students with an academic email address who are unable to verify the GitHub Student Developer Pack. Learn how to claim $100 free annual Azure credits, spin up a free B1s virtual machine 24/7, and access free JetBrains, Notion, and Canva education benefits.", "summary": "A comprehensive guide for students with an academic email address who are unable to verify the GitHub Student Developer Pack. Learn how to claim $100 free annual Azure credits, spin up a free B1s virtual machine 24/7, and access free JetBrains, Notion, and Canva education benefits.", "date_published": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "Azure", "Free-Tier", "Student-Benefits", "Cloud-VM", "JetBrains", "Notion", "Education" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/best-vps-vm-under-1200-rupees-2026/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/best-vps-vm-under-1200-rupees-2026/", "title": "The Definite Guide: Best VPS/VM Options Under ₹1200 per Month", "content_text": "Looking for a reliable server under ₹1200/month? We break down the best virtual private servers for hosting Docker, Telegram bots, APIs, and multiple websites in the Indian and global markets.", "summary": "Looking for a reliable server under ₹1200/month? We break down the best virtual private servers for hosting Docker, Telegram bots, APIs, and multiple websites in the Indian and global markets.", "date_published": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "VPS", "Hosting", "Docker", "Hetzner", "Hostinger", "Contabo", "Budget-Hosting", "Telegram-Bot" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/is-everything-possible-on-free-tier-vms-2026/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/is-everything-possible-on-free-tier-vms-2026/", "title": "Can You Run Everything on Free Cloud Tiers? An Honest 2026 Reality Check", "content_text": "Is it really possible to host your entire stack, Docker containers, and Telegram bots on free tiers? We analyze Oracle Cloud, GCP, AWS, Render, Koyeb, and Cloudflare to expose their real limitations.", "summary": "Is it really possible to host your entire stack, Docker containers, and Telegram bots on free tiers? We analyze Oracle Cloud, GCP, AWS, Render, Koyeb, and Cloudflare to expose their real limitations.", "date_published": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "Free-Tier", "Cloud", "Oracle-Cloud", "GCP", "Render", "Koyeb", "Cloudflare", "Self-Hosting", "DevOps" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/vms-vs-vps-comparison-india-global-2026/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/vms-vs-vps-comparison-india-global-2026/", "title": "The Ultimate 2026 VM and VPS Global vs. Indian Market Comparison", "content_text": "An exhaustive guide comparing virtual machines (VMs) and virtual private servers (VPS) across global hyperscalers, developer-focused clouds, and budget-friendly hosts, with detailed hardware, network, and pricing tables.", "summary": "An exhaustive guide comparing virtual machines (VMs) and virtual private servers (VPS) across global hyperscalers, developer-focused clouds, and budget-friendly hosts, with detailed hardware, network, and pricing tables.", "date_published": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "VPS", "VM", "Cloud Computing", "Hosting", "DevOps", "Hetzner", "DigitalOcean", "AWS", "Google Cloud" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/why-are-hundreds-of-node-python-and-bun-processes-running/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/why-are-hundreds-of-node-python-and-bun-processes-running/", "title": "Why Are Hundreds of Node, Python, and Bun Processes Running on Windows?", "content_text": "Open Windows 11 Task Manager and see hundreds of node.exe, python.exe, and bun.exe processes eating your RAM? Here is the deep dive into why this happens, how to identify the culprits, and how to stop them.", "summary": "Open Windows 11 Task Manager and see hundreds of node.exe, python.exe, and bun.exe processes eating your RAM? Here is the deep dive into why this happens, how to identify the culprits, and how to stop them.", "date_published": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "Windows-11", "Node.js", "Python", "Bun", "Performance", "Debugging", "Web-Development" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/windows-laptop-home-server-guide/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/windows-laptop-home-server-guide/", "title": "Turn Your Old Windows Laptop Into a Home Server: The Complete WSL2, Docker, and High-Availability Guide", "content_text": "A comprehensive guide to transforming a retired Windows Home laptop into a reliable, headless home server. Learn how to configure WSL2, install Docker natively inside Linux (saving 1.5GB RAM), bypass sleep/update reboots, automate startup with Task Scheduler, and monitor system health via PowerShell.", "summary": "A comprehensive guide to transforming a retired Windows Home laptop into a reliable, headless home server. Learn how to configure WSL2, install Docker natively inside Linux (saving 1.5GB RAM), bypass sleep/update reboots, automate startup with Task Scheduler, and monitor system health via PowerShell.", "date_published": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "Home-Server", "Windows", "WSL2", "Docker", "PowerShell", "Self-Hosting", "DevOps" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/backing-up-secrets-environment-variables/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/backing-up-secrets-environment-variables/", "title": "The Complete Guide to Backing Up Developer Secrets and Environment Variables (10+ Tools Compared)", "content_text": "Lost your laptop? Lost your .env files forever. This 5000-word guide compares 10+ platforms for backing up, syncing, and managing environment variables across hundreds of public GitHub repositories — with a full cost breakdown for solo developers.", "summary": "Lost your laptop? Lost your .env files forever. This 5000-word guide compares 10+ platforms for backing up, syncing, and managing environment variables across hundreds of public GitHub repositories — with a full cost breakdown for solo developers.", "date_published": "2026-06-03T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-03T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "Secrets Management", "DevOps", "Developer Tools", "Security", "Self-Hosting", "Environment Variables" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/free-dynamic-app-hosting-2026/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/free-dynamic-app-hosting-2026/", "title": "The Complete Guide to Free Dynamic App Hosting in 2026 (Node.js, Python & More)", "content_text": "Static hosting is everywhere. But where do you host a real Node.js or Python server for free? This guide covers every platform — from Render to Oracle Cloud — with exact CPU, RAM, sleep policies, and honest trade-offs for each.", "summary": "Static hosting is everywhere. But where do you host a real Node.js or Python server for free? This guide covers every platform — from Render to Oracle Cloud — with exact CPU, RAM, sleep policies, and honest trade-offs for each.", "date_published": "2026-06-03T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-03T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "Node.js", "Python", "Hosting", "DevOps", "Free Tier", "Cloud", "Backend", "Self-Hosting", "PaaS", "IaaS" ] }, { "id": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/free-tier-stack-for-a-solo-developer-in-india-2026/", "url": "https://devtools-blog.oriz.in/blog/free-tier-stack-for-a-solo-developer-in-india-2026/", "title": "Free-tier stack for a solo developer in India, 2026 edition", "content_text": "An honest audit of the services I run oriz.in on for zero rupees a month, with India-specific notes on PAN, UPI, and INR-friendly providers.", "summary": "An honest audit of the services I run oriz.in on for zero rupees a month, with India-specific notes on PAN, UPI, and INR-friendly providers.", "date_published": "2026-05-28T00:00:00.000Z", "date_modified": "2026-05-28T00:00:00.000Z", "authors": [ { "name": "Chirag Singhal", "url": "https://oriz.in/about/" } ], "tags": [ "free-tier", "india", "indie-hacking", "stack", "2026" ] } ] }