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1No data collection
The application must not collect, store, or transmit personal data. No accounts, no cookies, no analytics, no tracking — not even anonymized. If the software doesn't need to know who you are, it won't ask.
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2Minimal permissions
The software must request only the permissions it cannot function without. No "just in case", no silent grabs. If you can't justify a permission in one sentence, you don't get it.
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3No dark patterns
The interface must not manipulate. No hidden unsubscribe flows, no pre-checked boxes, no fake urgency, no guilt-tripping, no deceptive defaults. The UI must respect the user's attention and intelligence.
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4System theme only
The application may support dark and light themes, but must not include a theme toggle. Use the system preference — nothing else. If a user wants to override your theme specifically, that's a signal your theme is broken, not a feature request.
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5Free forever
The software must be free. No subscriptions, no paid tiers, no in-app purchases, no "pro" versions. If you're thinking about monetization, you're thinking about the wrong thing.
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6Open source
All code must be open source and released under the MIT license — including the server-side. No proprietary backends, no hidden logic. If you can't read it, it shouldn't exist.
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7Self-hostable
The software must be self-hostable by design. Any person with basic technical knowledge should be able to run it on their own infrastructure. No mandatory cloud, no vendor lock-in.
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8Data ownership
If the software manages data on behalf of the user, that data must be fully exportable and importable at any time. The user owns their data — not the software, not the developer. If the project dies, the data survives.