Keeping your own data LOCAL
Note: this article focuses on reading/logging workflow and will be constantly updated.
When I try some new apps or services, the first thing I check is the ability to have the data locally, espeically for memos, bookmarks, read it later, tasks, journals/worklogs/notes.
I would always choose apps/service that fall within the following categories:
- Self hosted apps.
For self-hosted apps, data is stored locally on the machine where you deployed the service, all you need to care is to have a regular backup and have the ability to read your database.
- Apps with local database.
For apps with a local database (e.g. Things 3, Day One), the best practice is also backing up the local machine and maybe writing a script to read the local database to plain text, just in case. If the app data is cloud based, (e.g. Notion, Ticktick that I once used), I will be cautious before digging down too much into the rabbit hole. For those apps, at least I should be able to read and export ALL the data on the server, whether via API or built in export functionality.
- Apps with easy import/export to csv, json or md.
If an app is cloud only and does not have a export functionality, I will not use it - The data is tightly bound to the specific app/service and is never mine.
- Apps with RSS intergration and/or full functioning API.
This could be beneficial if I want to sync the data elsewhere, I can simply subscribe the RSS in karakeep or using API.
- Apps works with local plain-text files.
Obsidian is one of the best in this category, a similar app is Logseq. For todo app, there is also taskpaper.
- Apps with comprehensive filtering, full text search.
This is mainly for quick retriving your data when you need it.
My apps/services for the reading/logging workflow
I use freshrss to consume content online, wallabag for read-it-later, Karakeep for bookmarks, Things for todo, Day One for journaling and worklogs, Obsidian for md notes.
All of my data will be synced/exported locally and periodically via scripts or RSS. For example, if I star an article in freshrss or added one to wallabag, post a Mastodon toot or upvoted a Reddit post, they will be synced to Karakeep via RSS. If I added a task in Things or a worklog entry in Day One, they will be synced to Obsidian via plugin or exported to markdown by scripts that periodically read the local database file. All local plain-text files will be in a private .git repo that keep track the changes over time.
Other apps I've tried and worth mentioning
Anybox - bookmark app, local data synced via icloud (platform lock), but no full text search.
Raindrop.io - bookmark app, data is on the server, permnent copy under pay wall (but still on their server afaik)
DEVONthink - A really powerfull app (RSS, read-it-later, bookmark, file-management with full text search and local file storage), the only downside is the file system (databases) is not integrated very well with the Finder system, which means you can only backup and restore the whole database but not individual files.
Readwise reader - A cloud based RSS and read-it-later apps, great for its TTS. But data is only on its server, TTS for Chinese is still buggy.
Pocket, Omnivore - End of life.
I tried to fit these apps into my workflow once, but ending up not using them.