Philosophy
Epheme: Principles for Local‑First, Sovereign Software
Epheme is an intentional set of constraints and practices for building software that serves people instead of platforms. It favors local execution, minimal centralization, data sovereignty, and clear tradeoffs over feature-by-default convenience.
Core Principles
- Local-First: Primary state and authority live with the user’s device; networks and hubs are optional conveniences.
- Data Sovereignty: Users control their data lifecycle — retention, sharing, and deletion.
- No Unnecessary Identity: Avoid human account requirements unless they provide clear, unavoidable value.
- Minimal Telemetry: Ship with privacy by default; collect only what is necessary and only with consent.
- Interoperability: Prefer simple, auditable formats and protocols that can be independently implemented.
Design Constraints
Constraints are the point. They make tradeoffs explicit and keep the system understandable. Some constraints we accept:
- Favor simple, repeatable formats over complex schemas.
- Prefer short-lived attestations over permanent identity graphs.
- Design for recoverability when hubs or networks are unavailable.
Operational Model
Epheme applications operate in one of three modes:
- Standalone: Fully local operation; no network required.
- Hub-Assisted: Optional hubs provide discovery, replication, or backups but are not required for core functionality.
- Federated: Multiple trusted hubs can synchronize state for chosen collaborators.
Privacy & Data Practices
Privacy in Epheme is not an add-on — it is a system-level design choice. We recommend:
- Default local storage and ephemeral replication.
- Explicit, user-driven sharing with cryptographic attestation when needed.
- Never storing PII or long-lived identifiers unless explicitly required and consented to.
Tradeoffs and What We Give Up
Choosing Epheme’s constraints means accepting tradeoffs. Common ones include:
- Less centralized analytics and marketing insights.
- Increased complexity for cross-device sync (solvable with hubs and replication primitives).
- More emphasis on UX patterns that surface conflict resolution and offline-first flows.
Getting Involved
If you’re curious or want to help, read the Dev Journal, try the demos, or open an issue with your ideas. Epheme is intentionally opinionated — community feedback helps shape pragmatic compromises.