Local Apps vs. Cloud Services

The author concludes that local apps and cloud services are not a zero-sum choice and that hybrid architectures, which store critical data locally and sync it to the cloud, can combine privacy and offline use with scalability and convenience. At DevCon 2024, Andreas Tsamados of FILVERSE argued for local-first apps on data ownership, offline functionality and decentralization, while Michelle Mosh Lee of Protocol Labs defended cloud services for ease of access, collaboration and scalability. Lefteris Karapetsas of Rotki App moderated the debate.