Why I Built Online RIFF Tools

WHY I BUILT ONLINE RIFF TOOLS

Sometimes the best way to learn is by building. Online RIFF Tools came out of exactly that idea.

I wanted to get more hands-on with RIFF (Resource Interchange File Format) files. When I looked for tools to visualize their internal structure, I found an old desktop app called Riffpad — but it wasn’t available for Mac, and development had long stopped.

Instead of giving up, I decided to create something new: a web-based RIFF inspector that anyone could use. By making it browser-based, I avoided platform issues, and it became accessible to developers, students, and hobbyists worldwide.

LEARNING BY DOING

This project gave me real-world practice with:
- Parsing binary formats in JavaScript
- Understanding how RIFF chunks are structured
- Designing a lightweight, practical tool

It wasn’t just coding for the sake of coding. Every chunk parsed, every header read, and every bug fixed deepened my understanding of RIFF.

NOT JUST A THROWAWAY PROJECT

We all start small projects that never see the light of day. But Online RIFF Tools turned into something more. I realized others might be looking for the same thing I was: a clear, no-install way to peek into a RIFF file.

That made it worth polishing and sharing.

THE BENEFIT

Now, anyone can upload a WAV, AVI, or WebP file and see how its chunks are laid out — without installing anything.

For me, it’s proof that learning projects don’t need to be throwaway code. They can be useful, practical, and genuinely help others along the way.