Your data, your rules: why we started local-first

When we set out to build LinkinBio, we made an unusual early decision: your profile data would live in your own browser, not on our servers. For a product that could just as easily store everything in a database, this might seem backwards. We think it is a feature worth explaining.

What local-first actually means

Local-first means the information you create — your bio, links, theme and settings — is saved in your browser's local storage. It stays on your device. We use Google Sign-In only to recognise your account, not to copy your content into a database somewhere. In plain terms, we cannot read your links, because we never receive them.

Why we chose it

Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. Starting local-first let us ship a genuinely private tool from day one, without asking you to take our word for how we handle a server full of personal data. It also keeps the product fast, because there is no round trip to a database every time you edit a link.

The honest trade-offs

Local-first is not magic, and we want to be upfront about the limits. Because your data lives in one browser, it will not appear if you switch devices or clear your browser storage. There is no automatic backup yet. That is why we added a one-click export in your settings, so you can keep a copy of your data whenever you like.

Where this is going

Local-first is our starting point, not our ceiling. Optional cloud sync is on the roadmap, and when it arrives it will be exactly that — optional. You will choose whether to sync, and you will keep the same clarity about what is stored and where. The goal is to add convenience without quietly taking away the privacy we started with.

We believe people should not have to trade ownership of their information for a useful product. Local-first is how we are keeping that promise while we grow.