I tried several gym apps and they all had the same problem: ads, a subscription for the basics, or forcing you to create an account just to save a routine. I just wanted to log sets and see if I was progressing. So I built IronLog.
The idea
A fast, offline-first app: open it, log your workout, see your progress. No login, no mandatory connection, no distractions.
The stack
- React Native + Expo — one codebase, installed directly as an APK on my phone.
- AsyncStorage for local persistence: your data lives on the device, not on a server.
- react-native-svg for the progress charts.
Why offline-first
Not everything needs a backend. For a personal, daily-use app, storing locally is faster, more private and simpler: no server to maintain, no latency, and it works with no signal at the gym (where the WiFi always fails).
What I take away
- Less is more. Removing login and the server cut half the complexity and improved the experience.
- Building for yourself sharpens product judgment: you feel every bit of friction first.
- Shipping as an APK gave me full control without going through the store for something only I use.
The technical breakdown (routines, logging, progress) is on the project page.