What 'local-first' software means (and why it matters for a clipboard)
Local-first software keeps your data on your own device as the primary copy: the app works fully offline, and any cloud use is optional and additive rather than required. For something as sensitive as a clipboard, which sees your addresses, codes and drafts, local-first means a breach of someone's server can't expose what you copied.
The definition, without jargon
Local-first means the real copy of your data lives on your device, not on a company's server. The app works whether or not you're online. If the maker adds cloud features, they're extras you switch on, not the thing holding your data hostage.
Cloud-first versus local-first
Most modern apps are cloud-first: your data lives on their servers and the app is a window onto it, so it's little use offline and gone if the company is. Local-first flips that. The server, if there's one at all, holds a copy, and your device holds the original.
Why a clipboard is the sharpest case
Your clipboard sees your most sensitive fragments: passwords in transit, one-time codes, addresses, private drafts. If that history lives on someone's server, a breach there exposes it. If it lives only on your machine, there's nothing on a server to breach.
How to tell if an app is local-first
Two quick tests. The offline test: turn off the network and see if the app still works. The account test: does it force you to sign in before you can use the basics? A local-first app passes both.
How VoxClip applies it
VoxClip follows one rule: if it runs on your machine, it's free; if it needs our servers, it's paid and disclosed before anything is sent. The Timeline is a file on your device, and paid sync is end-to-end encrypted before upload. Choosing a local voice model downloads it to your device without sending your content. See how VoxClip keeps your data private.