This is the companion piece to the "No API, No Buy" procurement rule. Same principle, different angle. If an application stores your data but won't let you take it with you when you leave, that application is not a tool—it's a trap.

The Test

Before committing to any software, ask:

  1. Can I export all my data in a standard format? (CSV, JSON, Markdown, plain text)
  2. Can I access my data programmatically via API?
  3. If this company shuts down tomorrow, can I recover everything I've put into it?

If any answer is "no," find an alternative. Full stop.

Why This Matters

Business Continuity

Software companies go bust, get acquired, change pricing, or pivot their product. When that happens, your data needs to survive the transition. If it's locked in a proprietary format with no export, you lose years of work.

Negotiating Power

When you can leave a platform easily, you have leverage. You can negotiate pricing, request features, and push back on unfavourable changes because the vendor knows you can walk away. Without data portability, the vendor holds all the power.

Compound Value

Your data (client records, project histories, knowledge bases, content archives) compounds in value over time. Locking it in a platform that might not exist in five years destroys that compound value.

The Tools That Respect You

  • Obsidian: Plain markdown files on your local hard drive. Zero lock-in.
  • Notion: Full API access, database export to CSV, page export to Markdown/HTML
  • Google Workspace: Takeout feature exports all data across all services
  • Stripe: Complete API access to all financial and customer data
  • n8n (self-hosted): Your workflows run on your server, fully exportable

The Tools to Question

Be cautious of:

  • Design tools that save files only in proprietary formats
  • Project management tools that offer limited or no data export
  • Social media scheduling tools that don't let you export your content calendar
  • Note-taking apps that store data in formats other apps can't read
  • Any tool where the "Export" option produces incomplete or mangled output

The Broader Philosophy

This is fundamentally about digital autonomy. Your professional data is an asset. Treating it as an asset means ensuring you control where it lives, how it's stored, and whether it can move freely.

Every tool should be a guest in your workflow, not a landlord. Guests can be asked to leave. Landlords control where you live.