I’m Proposing an Offline-First Computing Standard — Here’s Why
Source: Dev.to
The Problem With Always-Online Assumptions
Modern software increasingly treats the internet as a hard dependency:
- Applications refuse to open without connectivity
- User data is locked behind accounts and servers
- Education platforms fail during exams due to network issues
- Simple actions become impossible during outages
When connectivity fails, software often fails completely. The result isn’t just inconvenience — it’s loss of access, loss of trust, and sometimes loss of data.
What Is Offline-First Computing (OFC)?
Offline-First Computing (OFC) is a proposed open standard that defines how software systems should behave when internet connectivity is unavailable.
The core idea is simple:
- The internet should be an enhancement, not a dependency.
- Offline capability should not be a fallback mode.
Core Principles of OFC
- Offline by default
- Local‑first design
- Graceful degradation
- User data ownership
- Transparent, optional sync
- Resilience over convenience
What OFC Is Not
- A framework
- A programming language
- A replacement for HTML, CSS, or JavaScript
- Anti‑cloud or anti‑sync
- A commercial product
OFC does not tell you how to implement software; it focuses on behavior, not tools or frameworks.
Why a Standard, Not a Tool?
Tools change. Frameworks come and go. Standards last because they:
- Define expectations
- Create shared understanding
- Outlive specific technologies
HTML succeeded not because it was fancy, but because it was simple and resilient. OFC aims to occupy a similar space.
Why This Matters Now
Connectivity is improving, but dependency on constant connectivity is increasing faster. As software becomes more centralized, cloud‑locked, and account‑bound, the impact of outages grows. At the same time, education, governance, and critical services are becoming more digital. Resilience is no longer optional, and offline‑first design is not about going backward.
Current Status
OFC is currently published as an open, early‑stage standard, developed transparently and discussed publicly. It is intentionally conservative:
- No breaking promises
- No hype
- No forced adoption
The goal is clarity, not speed. The draft standard and related documents are published openly here:
I’d Love to Hear Your Thoughts
I’m sharing this as a discussion, not an announcement.
- Where have you seen always‑online assumptions cause real problems?
- Do you think offline‑first design should be a default expectation?
- What challenges do you see in adopting offline‑first principles?
Thoughtful criticism and discussion are welcome.
Final Thought
If software stops working when the internet stops working…
Thanks for reading.