Keynote: Local-first Software

Local-first software redefines how applications handle data by prioritizing user ownership of data, responsiveness, and offline functionality. Unlike traditional cloud-dependent software, local-first applications store and process data primarily on users’ devices rather than relying on continuous connectivity to a central server. This ensures that the software remains usable even without an internet connection, offers faster interactions by eliminating latency introduced by remote servers, and gives users greater control over their data. Local-first architectures typically incorporate mechanisms for synchronization, enabling seamless collaboration and data sharing across devices. Techniques, such as Conflict-free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs), are the “secret sauce” to ensure that updates made on one device are automatically reconciled with changes made on others, even when they happen offline.

This talk will delve into the principles of local-first software, the inner workings of CRDTs, practical implementation strategies, and the challenges developers must overcome to realize this vision. Finally, we will show the strengths and limitations in case studies such as collaborative spreadsheets and present methods for verifying the correctness of local-first applications.

Annette Bieniusa

Annette is a professor of Software Technology at the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU). Her research interests include the semantics of concurrent and distributed programming, focusing on replication strategies and synchronization techniques. She is passionate about CRDTs, local-first software, verification, and teaching students about all aspects of programming.