Stateless Architecture
SwimST has no server accounts, no login, and no cloud sync. All data lives locally on your device in an encrypted SQLite database. This ensures total privacy, offline access, and zero subscription fees.
The tradeoff: you are responsible for your own backups. If you lose your device or reinstall the app, data is gone — unless you set up a Recovery Link.
Legal Disclaimer — Sensitive Data: You must not include sensitive personal data — such as full legal names, dates of birth, medical information, or any other personally identifiable information (PII) — in session names, athlete labels, exercise descriptions, or any other content transmitted via shared or recovery links. Any data you choose to include is transmitted at your sole risk and responsibility. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Otenz disclaims all liability for any claims, damages, or legal consequences arising from the content you share. By using these features you acknowledge and accept these terms. See our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for full details.
How Coach Sync Works
When your coach shares a link with you, SwimST creates a subscription that automatically re-downloads and updates your sessions whenever the coach publishes changes.
Your coach generates a Shared Link for you and sends it (WhatsApp, email, etc.)
You open the link in SwimST — sessions are imported and a subscription is created
Every time you open the session list, SwimST checks for updates automatically
New or modified sessions from your coach appear instantly — no manual action needed
You can also pull down on the session list to force an immediate sync.
First-Time Setup
Install SwimST on your device (or open web.swimst.app in your browser)
Open Preferences → enter your name and select Athlete role
Accept the link your coach sent you — sessions will import automatically
Go to My Recovery and generate a Recovery Link — this is your personal backup of all data
Bookmark the Recovery Link — or email it to yourself for safekeeping
Daily Workflow
Open SwimST → your session list syncs automatically with coach updates
Tap a session to view exercises, then Start to execute at the pool
After finishing, timers and durations are saved with the session
Your Recovery Link updates automatically — no manual backup needed
Keep Your Data Safe
Since SwimST has no cloud accounts, your Recovery Link is the only way to restore data if something goes wrong. Follow these best practices:
Always keep a Recovery Link active — generate one from My Recovery if you haven't
Bookmark the link in your browser or save it somewhere safe (email, notes app)
Don't clear browser data if you use the web app — this deletes your local database
If switching devices, open your Recovery Link on the new one before starting fresh
Without a Recovery Link, there is no way to recover data from a lost device, reinstalled app, or cleared browser storage.
Switching Devices or Browsers
Install SwimST (or open the web app) on the new device/browser
Open your Recovery Link — all data imports automatically
The coach subscription is restored — auto-sync continues as before
Generate a new Recovery Link on the new device to keep future backups flowing
Shared Browser (Web App)
If multiple people use web.swimst.app on the same device (e.g. a shared tablet at the pool), the browser stores only one user's data at a time. SwimST detects this and shows a startup dialog so each user can manage the situation.
When you open the web app and data already exists, a dialog offers three choices: Continue (keep current data), Clear Data (remove sessions but keep preferences and links), or Full Reset (erase everything)
If a Recovery Link exists, the dialog also shows a Copy Recovery Link button — use it to save the current user's backup before clearing
After clearing, open your own Recovery Link (or your coach's shared link) to load your data
When you're done, the next person can repeat the process — clear, restore their link, and continue
For the smoothest experience, each user should bookmark their Recovery Link. This makes switching between users a quick two-step process: clear → open link.