diff --git a/src/strutils.cpp b/src/strutils.cpp
index 6e4c4e1..0ccee4e 100644
--- a/src/strutils.cpp
+++ b/src/strutils.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,20 @@
 #include <cctype>
 
 namespace cpputils {
+std::string toString(bool val) { return val ? "true" : "false"; }
+std::string toString(int8_t val) { return std::to_string(val); }
+std::string toString(uint8_t val) { return std::to_string(val); }
+std::string toString(int16_t val) { return std::to_string(val); }
+std::string toString(uint16_t val) { return std::to_string(val); }
+std::string toString(int32_t val) { return std::to_string(val); }
+std::string toString(uint32_t val) { return std::to_string(val); }
+std::string toString(int64_t val) { return std::to_string(val); }
+std::string toString(uint64_t val) { return std::to_string(val); }
+std::string toString(float val) { return std::to_string(val); }
+std::string toString(double val) { return std::to_string(val); }
+std::string toString(const std::string &val) { return val; }
+std::string toString(std::optional<uint8_t> val) { if (val) return toString(*val); else return {}; }
+
 bool stringEqualsIgnoreCase(std::string_view a, std::string_view b)
 {
     return a == b; // HACK for now...
diff --git a/src/strutils.h b/src/strutils.h
index 599fa26..ee840ce 100644
--- a/src/strutils.h
+++ b/src/strutils.h
@@ -1,8 +1,25 @@
 #pragma once
 
+// system includes
+#include <string>
+#include <optional>
 #include <string_view>
 
 namespace cpputils {
+std::string toString(bool val);
+std::string toString(int8_t val);
+std::string toString(uint8_t val);
+std::string toString(int16_t val);
+std::string toString(uint16_t val);
+std::string toString(int32_t val);
+std::string toString(uint32_t val);
+std::string toString(int64_t val);
+std::string toString(uint64_t val);
+std::string toString(float val);
+std::string toString(double val);
+std::string toString(const std::string &val);
+std::string toString(std::optional<uint8_t> val);
+
 bool stringEqualsIgnoreCase(std::string_view a, std::string_view b);
 bool stringStartsWith(std::string_view fullString, std::string_view begin);
 bool stringEndsWith(std::string_view fullString, std::string_view ending);