I wouldn't call local Excel/Word/etc "local-first". The "-first" part implies th...

robenkleene · 2025-09-22T14:41:18 1758552078

Excel and Word both support real-time collaboration and sync, e.g., https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/collaborate-on-wo...

jakelazaroff · 2025-09-22T15:43:15 1758555795

Sure, now. I'm responding to this from OP:

> Local-first was the first kind of app. Way up into the 2000s, you'd use your local excel/word/etc, and the sync mechanism was calling your file annual_accounts_final_v3_amend_v5_final(3).xls

fragmede · 2025-09-23T02:10:32 1758593432

Google docs is the gold standard here.

jakelazaroff · 2025-09-23T02:40:27 1758595227

Google Docs is not "local" in any meaningful sense of the word.

fragmede · 2025-09-23T02:45:11 1758595511

it's not!

echelon · 2025-09-22T14:38:05 1758551885

Local-first apps aren't common because teams building web apps are primarily targeting online, database backed, SaaS.

With the exception of messenger clients, Desktop apps are mostly "local-first" from day one.

At the time you're beginning to think about desktop behavior, it's also worth considering whether you should just build native.