Local-first software
Own the source. Automate the transformations.
This site is an experiment in that principle: essays live in the Obsidian vault as markdown with YAML frontmatter. The Next.js site reads them at build time and generates feeds, pages, and cross-links automatically. Studio ops (Compass, Hermes, Claude OS) sit on the same machine-readable layer without becoming the source of truth.
The compiler model
One source object
↓
Website + feed + email + archive + agent API
No proprietary CMS. No duplicate manual publishing. When I update this note in Obsidian, the site reflects it on the next build or revalidation. Publiciser and proactive agents may draft — they do not silently rewrite site.yaml or ship live essays without review.
Related
Open releases on Distribution make the same bet on the code side: repositories you can clone, not platforms you rent. See also Spatial computing notes for how spatial tools fit into the same philosophy, and Agent-readable publishing for the outbound feed contract.