Our Ethos & Philosophy
iku·yo was built on a simple premise: to complement the tools you already use by giving you a direct, open, and long-term way to control and archive your route data.
1. Working Hand-in-Hand with Partner Apps
We value and respect the incredible training, analysis, and social features offered by platforms like Strava, Wahoo, Garmin, and Apple Health. They are fantastic for tracking active training metrics and building connections in the fitness community.
iku·yo isn't here to replace those services. Instead, we offer an additional, open layer to curate your favorite personal routes, plan custom group invitations, and manage your permanent records. By integrating with these apps, we let you easily bring your activities into a space you control completely.
2. Decentralization & Personal Cloud
iku·yo breaks this model by utilizing a decentralized personal cloud architecture:
- No Central Database: There is no central server running a database tracking your runs or hikes. The code is entirely client-side.
- Personal Google Drive Sync: When you connect your Google Account, the app creates a secure folder inside your private Google Drive and manages all files there.
- Standard Files: Your routes are saved as standard
.gpxfiles and your notes are saved as plain.md(Markdown) files. They are readable by any tool, not locked behind custom databases.
3. Privacy by Default
Since all operations happen on your local phone/web browser or within your secure personal Google Drive account, no third party can track your routes or access your profile. When you send RSVP invitation cards to friends, you share a direct link to the folder files you authorize.
4. Longevity & Ownership
Because your activities are saved in standard, raw formats (GPX tracks, Markdown text), they are completely portable. Even if you choose to stop using iku·yo tomorrow, you have a perfectly organized archive of your routes sitting in your Google Drive, ready to be copied, moved, or imported into other platforms.