Why I Built a Local-First SVG Editor (Privacy-focused & Zero-Burn) 🛠️

Source: Dev.to

The Motivation

As developers, we use SVGs daily. But I realized that most “quick” online editors or optimizers follow a common pattern: they are either bloated SaaS platforms that require a login, or sketchy‑looking sites that upload your assets to a remote server.

In a world where our browsers are powerful enough to run full IDEs, why are we still uploading private vector data to a third‑party server just to tweak a path?

That’s why I started building Vector Gnome – a local‑first, minimalist SVG editor. The core philosophy is simple: Your data never leaves your machine.

Key Highlights

• Local‑First: All processing happens in the browser via the Canvas/SVG API.
• Privacy by Default: No tracking, no mandatory accounts, no “cloud” sync you didn’t ask for.
• Zero‑Burn: Built with a minimal footprint to be fast and solve one problem effectively.

Tech Stack & Deployment

• Frontend: Next.js (Static Export) + Tailwind CSS
• Deployment: Docker native on a minimal Hetzner VPS (CX23)
• Proxy: Traefik with automated Let’s Encrypt SSL
• Telemetry: Custom lightweight system to track basic usage without compromising user privacy (no cookies, no PII)

I’m building a suite of “Hyper‑Tools”—small, focused, and privacy‑respecting utilities. Vector Gnome is the first experiment.

Call for Feedback

I’m currently in early beta and would love to hear from the community:

• What is the biggest “pain point” in your current SVG workflow?
• Would you prefer a “code‑first” editor (tweaking attributes) or a “visual‑first” one (dragging paths)?

Check it out: