8         d'b   o                           8     o
8         8     8                           8
8 .oPYo. o8P   o8P       .oPYo. .oPYo. .oPYo8    o8 .oPYo.
8 8oooo8  8     8  ooooo 8    8 .oooo8 8    8     8 8    8
8 8.      8     8        8    8 8    8 8    8     8 8    8
8 `Yooo'  8     8        8YooP' `YooP8 `YooP' 88  8 `YooP'
..:.....::..::::..:::::::8 ....::.....::.....:..::..:.....:
:::::::::::::::::::::::::8 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::..::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Welcome to left-pad.io!

## History

On March 22nd 2016, a terrible tragedy befell the Node.JS community. A popular
microframework for robust string expansion, `left-pad`, was removed from
npmjs.com.

This resulted in broken deploys worldwide, a sudden and complete inability to
appropriately zero-pad the fractional real cent value of many stock options,
and untold billions of dollars in economic damage to the still nascent startup
ecosystem of String Manipulation as a Service.

## A microservice saviour appears

In order to prevent such a terrible tragedy from occurring ever again during
our lifetimes, `left-pad.io` has been created to provide all the functionality
of `left-pad` AND the overhead of a TLS handshake and an HTTP request.

Less code is better code, leave the heavy lifting to `left-pad.io`, The String
Experts™.

## How do I make use of left-pad.io?

Simple! Just make a request to `https://api.left-pad.io`:

```
$ curl 'https://api.left-pad.io/?str=paddin%27%20oswalt&len=68&ch=@'
{"str":"@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@paddin' oswalt"}
```

The query parameter names `str`, `len`, and `ch` match the argument names of
our fallen comrade in left-stringist thought, `leftpad()`. May the Developer
Happiness achieved forever commemorate its sacrifice.

`left-pad.io` is 100% REST-compliant as defined by some guy on Hacker News with
maximal opinions and minimal evidence.

## Are there any limits?

Padding and the input string are limited to 1024 characters in the free
version, because we have to monetize to have enough runway to launch
`right-pad.io` in Q3 2017.

## Can I buy an enterprise license?

Yes. Email root@left-pad.io with your account and ABA routing numbers.

## Who?

2016 JavaScript Hero candidate @gabrielgironda.