Show HN: Bytepiper – turn .txt files into live APIs

https://www.bytepiper.com
Hi HN,

I built a small tool that converts API logic written in plain .txt files into real, executable PHP API endpoints.

The motivation was personal: I can design and ship frontends quickly, but backend APIs (setup, boilerplate, deployment) always slowed down small projects and MVPs. I wanted a way to describe inputs, rules, and responses in text and get a working endpoint without worrying about infrastructure.

This is early and opinionated. I’m especially interested in feedback around:

trust and security concerns

where this breaks down

whether this is useful beyond prototypes

Happy to answer questions about how it works.

Comments

hereisSwapnilJan 26, 2026, 10:08 AM
This is interesting. I’m curious how the text becomes an execution boundary works in practice.

Is the .txt parsed into a constrained schema, or is it closer to free-form instructions that get interpreted at runtime?

Related to that, how are security boundaries enforced? For example, preventing arbitrary code execution, file access, or unintended side effects if the text is malformed or malicious.

Feels potentially very useful for prototyping, but I’m trying to understand where the hard limits are.