Convert a Netstring to a String
Decode a netstring and output the string it contains. Runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
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Output
The result appears here as you type.
How to use Convert a Netstring to a String
- 1. Paste the netstring. Enter the netstring, in the form of a length, colon, the string itself, and a trailing comma, into the input pane exactly as received.
- 2. Read the unwrapped string. The tool reads the length prefix, validates it against the actual content, and returns just the string it contains, stripped of the length and delimiters.
- 3. Copy the decoded string. Copy the recovered plain text and use it wherever the original message is needed, such as while debugging a protocol that uses netstring framing.
When to use Convert a Netstring to a String
Convert a Netstring to a String decodes a netstring, the length-prefixed encoding popularized by djb, and outputs the plain string it wraps. It is a small but exact tool for anywhere netstring framing shows up in a protocol or log.
- Debugging a protocol that uses netstrings. You are working with a protocol like tnetstrings or a djb-style tool that frames messages as netstrings, and need to quickly unwrap a captured message to read its contents.
- Verifying a netstring encoder's output. You wrote code that wraps strings as netstrings and want to decode a sample output to confirm the length prefix and delimiters are exactly correct.
- Teaching length-prefixed string encoding. A networking course explains length-prefixed framing as an alternative to delimiter-based parsing, and this shows a concrete netstring being unwrapped back to plain text.
- Recovering a value from a log line. A log file captured a raw netstring-framed value from a message queue, and decoding it here reveals the actual string that was transmitted.
Examples
Unwrap a netstring
Input
5:hello,
Output
hello
About the Convert a Netstring to a String tool
Convert a Netstring to a String is a free online tool that works entirely inside your web browser. Decode a netstring and output the string it contains. Because the processing happens on your own device, nothing you enter is uploaded, logged or stored anywhere.
This page is one of 159 String utilities on EditSafely. Each one does a single job well, and all of them follow the same rule: your input stays on your machine.
There is nothing to configure. Provide the input and the result appears on its own. A worked example further down the page shows exactly what the tool produces for a real input.
Because nothing leaves your device, the tool is suitable for sensitive content such as internal documents, credentials or customer data. It also responds instantly, since every keystroke is handled on your own machine rather than by a remote API.
Frequently asked questions
Is Convert a Netstring to a String free to use?
Yes, it is completely free. All 2,658 tools on EditSafely work without an account, a subscription or usage limits.
Is it safe to paste sensitive or confidential data?
Everything happens locally. Your browser downloads the tool's code once, then does all the processing itself; nothing you enter is transmitted, stored or logged. You can even go offline after the page loads and it will still work.
How much text can I process at once?
There is no fixed limit. Because the work happens on your own device rather than on a shared server, the practical ceiling is your machine's memory, which comfortably handles inputs far larger than typical online tools allow.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. The tool works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or phone. There is no account to create, no extension to add and no software to install.
How do I use the result?
The output panel has a one-click copy button, and you can keep refining the input while you work; the result updates in place as you type.