AI can help you solve home-cooked needs

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As a software developer, I found this a really interesting take, especially for a community like MPU.

TLDR…

Main Thesis:

• Golden Age of Local Software: We are on the verge of a golden age of local, home-cooked software and a new kind of developer – the barefoot developer (tech-savvy non-professional dev).

• Role of Local-first Community: The local-first community has a significant role in building this future.

Key Topics:

  1. Local-first Beyond Local Data:

:black_small_square: Traditional local-first focuses on data location and syncing.

:black_small_square: Expanded vision: Local software should be intimate, community-oriented, and serve local needs.

  1. Home Cooked vs. Industrial Software:

:black_small_square: Home-Cooked Software: Simple, personal apps made for specific local needs, similar to home-cooked meals.

◦ Examples: Baby tracking apps, personal finance tools, custom health monitors.

:black_small_square: Industrial Software: Large-scale, complex, and commercially driven, like restaurant meals.

  1. Barefoot Developers:

:black_small_square: Barefoot developers are community members with basic software skills solving local problems.

:black_small_square: Unlike professional developers, they use low/no-code tools but need more accessible tools to cross the “command line wall.”

  1. Impact of Language Models:

:black_small_square: Language models (e.g., GPT-3) can democratize software development, making it faster, easier, and cheaper.

:black_small_square: Tools like Vercel’s V0 and TLDraw’s Make Real prototype show potential for generating working code from natural language descriptions.

  1. Challenges and Solutions:

:black_small_square: Glue for Language Model Legos: Current tools provide building blocks but lack integration.

:black_small_square: Orchestration Agents: Need for agents to guide barefoot developers through projects.

:black_small_square: Local-first Integration: Ensuring local-first principles are embedded in new tools and agents.

Call to Action:

• Local-first community should develop accessible interfaces and tools for barefoot developers.

• Aim for a future where local software is local-first by default to avoid dependence on cloud services and commercial exploitation.

Conclusion:

• Emphasizes the philosophical alignment between local-first and local software.

• Encourages the community to build tools that empower users to create and own their software.

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