ASSETT//VAULT

I wanted to build a tool specifically for creative archives rather than another generic file manager. The goal was to make something lightweight, private, and immediately useful: a personal vault where files could be collected, previewed, searched, tagged, annotated, and organized without requiring an account or uploading creative work to a third-party service.

I built ASSET//VAULT as a single-page web application using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Files are stored locally in the browser using IndexedDB, while the interface provides drag-and-drop importing, media previews, type filters, metadata editing, search across filenames/tags/notes, file downloads, and JSON index export. The project deliberately avoids a backend so the user's creative archive remains on their own device.

One of the main challenges was designing a useful archive without turning it into a complicated database application. I focused on the smallest set of features that could make a real difference when working with large collections of creative material. Another challenge was handling different file types consistently while keeping the interface fast and understandable.

Building ASSET//VAULT also pushed me to think about local-first software and the relationship between privacy and creative work. A personal archive can contain unfinished ideas, source material, private recordings, and work that is not ready to be shared. Keeping the files inside the browser means organization does not have to come at the cost of uploading that material somewhere else.

Built With

• browser
• css
• file
• html
• indexeddb
• javascript