A local-first, accessibility-focused toolkit to help people with chronic illness manage tasks, resources, and routines. This repository contains the code and notes for the Spoonie Helper project hosted under the the-Jay-Gees organization.
Spoonie Helper began as a pair of small side projects: a runbook for documenting repeatable troubleshooting and self-care steps, and a domain scraper that collected and organized public resources. The domain scraper's capabilities revealed a broader opportunity to build a tool specifically for people with chronic illness, so the project evolved into Spoonie Helper.
###About the maintainer
Jillian is a Deaf, neurodivergent, Disabled, non-traditional coder. This project reflects lived experience and a commitment to building tools that respect accessibility, autonomy, and privacy.
• Local-first: Data is stored and processed locally by default. Users retain control of their information and can opt into syncing or backups only when they choose.
• Accessibility-first: Interfaces, documentation, and workflows prioritize screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, clear language, and inclusive design patterns.
• Privacy and agency: Minimal data collection, transparent behavior, and clear opt-in choices for any external integrations.
• Runbook templates for documenting symptoms, routines, and escalation steps.
• Resource discovery powered by the original domain scraper, organized into curated lists and tags.
• Local storage with optional sync so users can keep data private while still choosing to back up or share when desired.
• Accessibility enhancements across UI and documentation to support diverse needs.
- Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/the-Jay-Gees/spoonie-helper.git
cd spoonie-helper - Install dependencies
Follow the language-specific instructions in the docs folder or the relevant subproject README files. - Run locally
Start the app in local mode to ensure data stays on your device. See docs/local-first.md for details on configuration and optional sync providers.
Spoonie Helper follows a local-first policy by default. This means: • Primary storage is local on the user device. • Network features are opt-in and disabled until explicitly configured. • Backups and sync require explicit user consent and clear instructions about where data is stored. This approach reduces exposure of sensitive health and personal information and gives users control over their data.
• Semantic HTML and ARIA where applicable.
• Keyboard-first navigation and focus management.
• High-contrast themes and adjustable font sizes.
• Plain-language documentation and examples.
• Testing with assistive technologies included in the development checklist.
Accessibility issues are treated as first-class bugs. If you find a problem, please open an issue and include steps to reproduce.
Contributions are welcome. Please follow these guidelines:
• Open an issue to discuss larger changes before submitting a pull request.
• Keep accessibility and local-first principles in mind for new features.
• Include tests and documentation for new functionality.
See CONTRIBUTING.md for more details.
• This organization: https://github.com/the-Jay-Gees
• Other public repos: https://github.com/thejeangenie18
This project is available under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.
Thanks to everyone who contributes time, feedback, and accessibility testing. This project exists to make daily life a little easier for people managing chronic conditions.