Backup and restore are product features, not housekeeping
Keeping important data on a device can reduce cloud dependence, but it also makes recovery a first-class design problem. A local-first product is incomplete if users cannot understand how their data survives device loss or migration.
Local ownership creates local responsibility
If a product stores documents or business records locally, the device becomes part of the storage system. Hardware can fail, apps can be removed and users can replace phones. Recovery therefore needs deliberate design.
A backup needs integrity, not only files
Copying data is not enough if relationships between records are lost. A useful backup should preserve the structure the application needs and detect obvious corruption or incomplete restoration where possible.
Restore deserves its own testing
A backup that was never restored is only an assumption. Testing should include creating data, backing it up, changing or removing local state and verifying that restoration produces the expected result.
Version changes complicate recovery
Application schemas evolve. A durable restore path needs to consider whether older backups can be migrated into newer versions without silently changing their meaning.
Why this matters for FigureDesk
Business records and supporting documents can remain useful long after they were created. FigureDesk therefore treats verified backup and restore as part of the core local-first workflow rather than an optional convenience.