Local-first in an unstable world

Slides from a talk given at Local First Conf, Berlin, on 12 July 2026.
https://martin.kleppmann.com/2026/07/12/local-first-conf.html
https://app-2026.localfirstconf.com/schedule/day-1/0930-local-first-in-an-unstable-world

Abstract:

Local-first aims to empower users. But it also does something more systemic: it improves systems’ resilience against things going wrong. In a world where geopolitical tensions are increasing and long-standing certainties are upended, decentralisation and resilience become increasingly important. This talk explores why local-first software is moving from a personal nice-to-have to a strategic must-have, and what this means for our community.

Transcript

2. Nikolaus Bader, https://pixabay.com/photos/brand-front-of-the-brandenburg-gate-5117579/
3. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:West_and_East_Germans_at_the_Brandenburg_Gate_in_1989.jpg 1989
4. https://repository.cern/records/6kxvcv6203/files/ARCH-WWW-4-010.pdf https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-andstories/world-wide-web-global-information-space 1989
11. ARPANET, 1970s https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arpanet_in_the_1970s.png
20. https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115893255826342514
23. “A year ago, it would have been absurd to worry about European access to American technology. As [Donald Trump] recklessly exploits the transatlantic alliance over Greenland, an executive order limiting American AI firms’ business in Europe no longer seems unthinkable. Some European restrictions on American technology, including the computing clouds where AIs reside, are also plausible.” – The Economist, 22 January 2026 https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/01/22/chinese-ai-is-a-risk-for-europe-so-is-shunning-it
24. https://www.anthropic.com/news/fable-mythos-access
25. https://www.theregister.com/2022 /05/02/ukrainian_tractors_deere/ May 2022
26. AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud together have 70% cloud market share in Europe. The largest European cloud providers (SAP, Deutsche Telekom) have 2% market share each https://www.srgresearch.com/articles/european-cloud-providers-local-market-share-now-holds-steady-at-15
62. Resources • Local-first essay • Local-first documentary • Automerge • My work https://www.inkandswitch.com/essay/local-first/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10d8HxS4y_g https://automerge.org/ https://martin.kleppmann.com/ • Bluesky • Email https://bsky.app/profile/martin.kleppmann.com martin@kleppmann.com