Fast performance and offline mode in the app

This description is for users of the ExtMoney mobile app: why it opens instantly, what works without the internet and what doesn't, and how your data security is handled on your phone.

Why the app opens instantly

Previously, every time you opened a screen, the app downloaded data from the server, and on a mobile network, this took up to 1-2 seconds per screen. Now, the app stores a copy of your data directly on your phone and shows it immediately, while pulling fresh data from the server in the background.

In practice, this means:

• Lists of transactions, accounts, and scheduled payments open in fractions of a second.
• When you return to an already open screen, it doesn't 'think' again.
• Immediately after opening, data may load for a couple of seconds — if something has changed on the server (e.g., you added a transaction from another device), the list will quietly update itself.

The server remains the main source of truth: the phone only stores a quick copy for display.

How to know if the data is fresh

Since the screen is displayed from the copy on the phone, under the total balance on the "Accounts" screen, there is a freshness indicator: "Refreshing..." while background loading is in progress, or "Updated N minutes/hours ago" when the data has been pulled. This shows how up-to-date the balance is — especially if the phone was offline and the copy is slightly outdated.

What works without the internet

In "airplane mode" or with poor connection, you can still:

• View your transactions, accounts, scheduled payments, and goals — everything that has been loaded at least once is displayed from the copy on your phone.
• Scroll and open details.

What won't work without the internet

The app currently only stores a read-only copy locally. Therefore, changes require a connection:

• Creating, editing, or deleting a transaction, account, budget, or goal requires internet.
• If you try to save a change without a connection, the app will show a clear message "No connection — changes not saved", and nothing will be lost — try again when you have network access.

Full offline editing (where changes are accumulated on the phone and sent to the server when a connection becomes available) is a separate future stage.

Data security on your phone

• The local copy of your financial data is encrypted on the device (SQLCipher encryption). It cannot be read without the app.
• When you log out of your account, the local copy is completely deleted — data from one session does not remain on the phone after logout.
• Data on the phone is tied to the selected team. When switching teams, a copy of that team's data is displayed.

If the data seems outdated

• Pull the list down (pull-to-refresh) — the app will reload data from the server.
• Fresh data is pulled in the background every time you open a screen; usually, it's enough to wait a second.
• After an app update, the first launch may be slightly slower than usual — the local copy is being recreated. This is a one-time occurrence.

In short