I’m building Haven Vault: an open source home for private files

Description and use

Haven Vault is an open‑source personal vault that encrypts data client‑side and runs on a user’s Firebase project, offering distinct signed‑in, signed‑out, and locked states, automatic locking, and passkey authentication.

Problem

Users need a secure, private storage solution that encrypts data client‑side and runs in their own infrastructure.

Outcome

Haven Vault provides a self‑hosted, client‑side encrypted storage solution with a clear separation between authentication and decryption, automatic locking, and a user‑friendly interface.

Workflow

• Clone the repo
• Install dependencies with pnpm --frozen-lockfile
• Run pnpm dev
• Open http://127.0.0.1:5173/?demo=1 to use the local demo
• For real usage, set up a Firebase project (Blaze billing) and follow the Firebase setup guide
• Use the Firebase emulator workflow for local development

Evidence

Haven Vault is an open source personal vault that encrypts your content in the browser and runs in your own Firebase project.

Source

Each installation is designed for a single owner. You control the deployment, and a separate vault passphrase is used to derive the key that decrypts your content locally.

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The app already includes: Encrypted files and notes, including filenames, item metadata, and thumbnails.

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Passkey sign-in and configurable automatic locking.

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Haven uses React, TypeScript, Vite, Firebase, SimpleWebAuthn, and the Web Crypto API.

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Haven is still evolving and has not received an independent security audit.

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