If this sounds like your week
When Windows Search gets in the way
developers debug local services with JSON-line logs under Documents, Downloads, or exported support bundles. Windows Search can miss developer log folders outside preferred indexed locations and cloud tools can turn stack traces into telemetry. the workstation is already busy with terminals, browsers, and file watchers when the useful clue is a hyphenated log filename.
Where tooling usually breaks
Why local-first matters
index.db, config.json, and logs stay under %APPDATA%\SearchSentinel instead of a vendor-hosted workspace. Search queries are not uploaded for AI enhancement, analytics, or ad targeting. You buy the app once and keep the search index as a local workstation asset.
Technical proof points
- SQLite FTS5 - unicode61 tokenizer - JSON-line logs - 7-day retention - Local-first storage - No network logger - Release path redaction