Private AI · local-first architecture

Your research data stays on your computer. By default.

Compendium runs open AI models on your own hardware. Your projects, references and results never leave your device unless you choose to share them, one task at a time. This free beta has no cloud account or billing: access is unlocked with a local key, checked entirely on your device.

Exactly where your data lives

No vague reassurance, just the exact split between what stays on your machine and what reaches our servers.

On your computer
Stored in a local database. Never transmitted by default.
  • Project details, PICO elements, search strings and database results
  • References: titles, authors, abstracts, DOIs, full texts
  • Screening decisions and the AI's reasoning for each
  • Extracted data, risk-of-bias assessments and meta-analysis results
  • Every prompt to the local model, and every response
  • Any document or PDF you upload
In the cloud (account only)
Not active yet in this free beta, this is the minimum a future paid account would ever need.
  • Your name, email and institution (if you provide it)
  • Your plan and billing status
  • The date your account was created
  • Aggregate, non-identifiable usage counts, e.g. "3 projects", never their titles or content

There's no cloud AI option today. If one is ever added, only that task's content would be sent, and only after you confirm, never by default.

Local AI, no cloud option today

Compendium runs AI directly on your computer using Ollama, an open-source runtime. Prompts for screening, extraction and PICO drafting go to a model at localhost. No cloud AI option exists today.

If a cloud option is ever added, it stays your choice

Compendium would ask first, "Run this task in the cloud?", and a persistent indicator would confirm whenever processing stays local.

Compliance: what local-first supports, and what it doesn't certify

By default, none of your research content leaves your device. For a data management plan, describe it as "processed locally on the investigator's device, not transmitted to any external server."

Your responsibility, clearly stated

Compendium is built for metadata, abstracts and aggregate results, not raw patient records, and it doesn't check what you enter. When in doubt, consult your data protection officer or ethics board.

Not a certification

The architecture supports LGPD/GDPR compliance. It does not certify it. Compliance depends on your institution, your data and your processes. See the Privacy Policy for details.

How we protect what we do handle

Encryption in transit

A future account or billing system would use TLS. Today's beta needs none of that: the license key is verified entirely offline, no password, no server call.

Export & deletion, anytime

Export PRISMA diagrams, forest plots and reports as PDF/DOCX; your data is a local file, no lock-in. No cloud account exists yet to delete; email askcompendium@gmail.com anytime. Uninstalling the app does NOT erase your local data by itself — the database and any imported PDFs stay on your device. To erase everything, use "Delete all local data" in Settings before uninstalling; it's irreversible on purpose, so it asks you to type a confirmation phrase first.

AI-use transparency

Every AI suggestion, confidence score and justification is logged next to your decision, ready to disclose in your manuscript.

Your rights

Under LGPD and GDPR you can access, correct, delete and port your data, or file a complaint with the ANPD.

What we don't claim

"Zero network traffic, ever."

Authentication is an offline check, no connection needed, and the auto-updater is currently off. The only network use, e.g. downloading a model through Ollama, never sends research content. No individual profiles, no cross-site cookies; this site self-hosts its fonts too, so nothing reaches a third party or leaks your IP.

"Available offline at all times."

Local AI runs offline, but the initial model download needs a connection, and a future billing system would too, once introduced. Core workflows run fully offline after that.

"Immune to a compromised device."

Local data follows your OS's file permissions, like any file. If your device or account is compromised, it carries the same risk as the rest of your files.

This page explains the product, in plain language.

It is not the legal Privacy Policy. For data categories, LGPD legal bases, your rights, retention, transfers and subprocessors, see the Privacy Policy — published now, still pending a formal lawyer review before launch.

Data requests or privacy questions: askcompendium@gmail.com.

Research that stays yours.

Bring your most sensitive projects with confidence.

Free for early users. No credit card.