I got tired of apps trying to monetize my attention.
Notifications, ads, endless feeds — it never stops.
So I decided to build an Android app with zero backend.
I'm a Japanese developer, and English isn't my first language, so I used AI to help write this article.
How many productivity apps have you downloaded, only to be greeted by a mandatory registration screen, bloated interface, pop-up ads, or a constant push for a premium cloud subscription?
Something felt missing from every app I tried.
I wanted the simplicity of a paper notebook combined with the convenience of a smartphone — a tool where my thoughts and tasks stay private, on my own device, without constant distraction.
So I built ZEROLOG — a fully offline, minimalist daily planner for Android.
In this article, I’ll share:
The design philosophy
The tech stack
The challenges of building a 100% offline app
And how I passed Google Play’s 20-tester requirement
The Philosophy: "Analog-Inspired" Digital Minimalism
ZEROLOG is inspired by pen-and-paper planning.
No
No accounts
No tracking
No notifications
Just open the app, write your day, and move on.
The Tech Stack
React 19
Vite 7
Tailwind CSS v4
Capacitor 8
Why Capacitor?
Capacitor lets me build with React while still accessing native features like:
Haptics (vibration feedback) Local filesystem
Native notifications
Building a 100% Offline App