Project - Offline-first mobile app for archaeological fieldwork

Overview

iDAI.field is an offline-first mobile application developed for the German Archaeological Institute (DAI). The tool is used in archaeological fieldwork and data collection across research sites worldwide.

The application has been published globally and helps research centers enhance the interoperability of their data models, making archaeological research more collaborative and standardized.

iOS Implementation

I contributed to the iOS implementation of iDAI.field, focusing on:

Offline-First Architecture

Archaeological sites are often in remote locations without reliable internet connectivity. The app needed to:

• Work completely offline during fieldwork
• Store all collected data locally
• Sync seamlessly when connectivity is available

Smooth Syncing

Data synchronization was critical for field teams:

• Conflict resolution: Handling cases where multiple team members edit the same records
• Background syncing: Syncing data automatically when connectivity is detected
• Data integrity: Ensuring no data loss during the sync process

Stability

Field conditions can be challenging, so the app needed to be extremely reliable:

• Robust error handling
• Crash prevention and recovery
• Battery-efficient operation

Impact

The tool has since been published globally and is actively used by research centers to:

• Standardize archaeological data collection
• Improve data interoperability across institutions
• Enable collaborative research across borders

What I did