The latest articles on DEV Community by feng suifeng (@collagemaker_org). https://dev.to/collagemaker_org https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4220661%2Fbedb2ad5-9f5d-4a73-8c69-6e25cfbb4407.png https://dev.to/collagemaker_org en feng suifeng Sun, 01 Nov 2026 13:42:10 +0000 https://dev.to/collagemaker_org/how-we-keep-photo-collages-private-client-side-canvas-no-upload-49b https://dev.to/collagemaker_org/how-we-keep-photo-collages-private-client-side-canvas-no-upload-49b <p>Most online collage tools upload your images to a server before they can layout or export. We wanted the opposite: a collage maker that never needs your photos to leave the device.</p> <h2> What “local” means here </h2> <p>In Collage Maker (<a href="https://collagemaker.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://collagemaker.org/</a>), image decode, layout, and PNG/JPG export happen in the browser. Drafts can stay in that browser’s storage. There is no account required to download, and exports have no watermark.</p> <h2> UX choices that follow from privacy </h2> <ul> <li> <strong>Full photo by default</strong> — keep whole images instead of silently cropping faces.</li> <li> <strong>HEIC on-device</strong> — convert iPhone photos in the browser so they are not uploaded for conversion.</li> <li> <strong>Optional assistant</strong> — if users ask Pip for a style, only the written request (not the photos) is sent; manual tools still work offline of that service.</li> </ul> <h2> What we are not claiming </h2> <p>We are not publishing benchmarks or user counts in this post. If you try the tool, tell us where mobile layout or print sizing still feels rough.</p> <h2> Try it </h2> <p><a href="https://collagemaker.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://collagemaker.org/</a></p> <p>Disclosure: I work on Collage Maker.</p> webdev privacy javascript