Why developers search for a “local-first dev log”
Most development logs end up split across chat threads, issue comments, and personal notes. That works for a day, then falls apart when someone new needs the full story.
A local-first dev log keeps context in the same place as source code and makes handoffs faster.
What belongs in a useful dev log
- What changed and where.
- Why significant choices were made.
- What still needs to happen next.
- Current project summary for a quick restart.
How Sidecar implements this in practice
Work logs
sidecar worklog record for concrete session outcomes.
Decisions
sidecar decision record for rationale and tradeoffs.
Tasks
sidecar task add for next steps that should not be forgotten.
Summary
sidecar summary refresh for a current project snapshot.
Daily local-first logging loop
# Start by loading current context
sidecar context --format markdown
# ... build / debug / ship ...
# Log what was completed
sidecar worklog record --done "Completed auth middleware refactor and regression tests" --files src/auth/middleware.ts,src/auth/middleware.test.ts --by agent
# Capture important rationale
sidecar decision record --title "Keep JWT verification in middleware layer" --summary "Maintains consistent policy and reduces route-level duplication" --by agent
# Keep next steps visible
sidecar task add "Add auth load-test scenario for 95th percentile latency" --priority medium --by agent
sidecar summary refreshLocal-first does not mean anti-collaboration
You can still use GitHub, Linear, or chat tools for planning. Sidecar simply keeps project memory in a repo-local format that both humans and AI agents can access directly during implementation. See Storage and Data for details.
FAQ
What does local-first dev log mean in practice?
It means your project log lives inside the repository so context is available where coding happens, without depending on external cloud note systems.
Is Sidecar only for AI-assisted projects?
No. It works for human-only workflows too, but it is especially useful when multiple agent sessions need consistent context.
Can I still use GitHub issues and docs?
Yes. Sidecar complements those tools by capturing implementation-level memory directly in the repo.