Connectivity is not guaranteed. Here is our architecture for apps that work anywhere.
The network is not a given. Design for its absence and you design for resilience.
Field technicians in remote sites, healthcare workers in low-connectivity clinics, logistics drivers going through tunnels — these users need their apps to work regardless of signal.
The Core Principle: Local First
Every write goes to the local store first. The network is treated as a sync layer, not a source of truth.
Our Stack for Offline-First
| Concern | Technology | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Local storage | SQLite / PouchDB | Relational queries without a server |
| Sync engine | CRDTs or operational transforms | Conflict-free merges |
| Background sync | Service Worker + Background Sync API | Retry when connection returns |
| State management | Zustand + persistence middleware | UI always reflects local state |
Conflict Resolution Is the Hard Part
Two users editing the same record while offline will both try to sync when they reconnect. You need a strategy.
