There is no cloud.

I’ve had the privilege of working with some tools that enable such syncing without leaning on centralized servers.

Somebody Else’s Computer

There is no cloud, goes the saying.

Someone using a cloud-connected computer in an office space.

Cloud computing.Nitat Termee / Getty Images

It’s just somebody else’s computer.

And unlike your own computer(s), the cloud is utterly outside of your control.

But the advantages are worth it to some.

Someone using a document management system in the cloud.

Cloud-based document management.ipuwadol / Getty Images

First is the whole control-of-your-data thing.

Local first means it lives on your own computer.

Then, it’s faster.

This is a significant quality-of-life improvement.

Speaking of quality, local-first software should also be designed for your platform of choice.

A Mac app looks and behaves like a Mac app, with a native design language and UI conventions.

ipuwadol / Getty Images

So why isn’t all software local-first?

One reason is that sync and collaboration are hard to do asynchronously.

Merging your edits upon reconnection is tricky.

It’spossible to d.oIt’s just that the cloud is still better at it.

It’s hard because the industry has evolved around the cloud.

Developers, tools, investmentsit’s all cloud-centric now.

But it’s worth keeping local-first in mind and choosing it whenever you’re free to.

And remember: the cloud is reliable and safeuntil it’s not.

Update 08/07/2023: Corrected source’s employer in paragraph 3.