Honest answers — no marketing.
No. Your GEDCOM file is processed exclusively in your own browser. It does not leave your computer.
Technically it works like this: when you drop a file in, the browser reads it directly from your hard drive. The 3D rendering happens on your device — just like a video game running on your graphics card.
No — this is technically impossible. I (the operator) have no access to your GEDCOM file, to the names in your family tree, to any data from it.
There is no database, no upload, no sync. I would have no way to store your data, even if I wanted to.
Three ways, with increasing depth:
1. Browser network analysis: Open the developer tools (F12) → "Network" tab → load a GEDCOM file. You'll see: not a single request with your data goes out. Zero.
2. Offline test: Load the app once. Then disable WiFi and mobile data. The app continues to work — because everything happens locally.
3. Read the source code: The app is plain HTML/JavaScript. Anyone can view the code and verify. No secrets, no obfuscation.
Yes, automatically. GalaxyRoots detects living persons (no death date, birth year after 1925) and masks their birth and death places in the visualization with ███████.
This protects your relatives when you share screenshots or show your screen to someone.
Currently: yes. When you close the browser tab, the data is gone. Next time you visit, you'll have to drag the GEDCOM file in again.
This is a direct consequence of the privacy-first design: data is not stored anywhere — not even locally in your browser. Nothing left to store also means: nothing to steal.
Only when first loading the website — so your browser can download the app files. After that, you can continue working offline.
In the medium term, GalaxyRoots is planned to become a PWA (Progressive Web App). Then it will work fully offline — like an installed desktop app.
GEDCOM 5.5, 5.5.1, and 7.0 — that's basically every file modern programs (Gramps, Ahnenblatt, MacFamilyTree, Legacy, Family Tree Maker, MyHeritage export) produce.
File extensions: .ged or .gedcom. Character encoding UTF-8 or (older files) ANSEL/ANSI — both are recognized.
Realistically: up to 5,000 persons smoothly on modern devices. 10,000 is possible but stutters depending on hardware.
For comparison: the average hobby genealogist documents 200–2,000 persons. Even professional genealogists rarely exceed 10,000.
Full transparency:
Necessary HTML, JavaScript, CSS from Netlify (the host). Contains the complete app logic.
Necessary The 3D library Three.js from the Cloudflare CDN (~600 KB). It draws the 3D visualization.
Local Fonts (Cormorant, DM Mono) are loaded directly from the GalaxyRoots server — no connection to Google or other third parties.
No — no cookies, no local storage, no session storage.
That's why you don't see an annoying cookie banner on first visit either. Because there's simply nothing to ask about.
No. No Google Analytics, no Facebook Pixel, no Matomo, no Plausible — nothing.
What Netlify as the host technically logs (access times, IP addresses, browser type) is unavoidable for the stable operation of the website and is deleted after 30 days. Details are in the privacy policy.
Good question — and justified skepticism with such sensitive data. Two arguments:
Technical: You don't have to blindly trust me. You can use browser tools to verify what the app does. Unlike native apps (where you can't see the code), a web app is completely transparent.
Structural: My business model is not based on your data. There are no ads to personalize, no profiles to sell, no cloud storage to fill. I have neither the technical means nor any incentive to abuse your data.
This is under consideration. An open source release on GitHub would be the strongest signal of trust — then any developer worldwide could verify that the code does what it promises.
Currently the code is viewable in the browser, but not officially maintained as open source. This may change.
Your GEDCOM file belongs to you and always lies on your own computer. It is not dependent on this website.
GEDCOM has been an open standard since 1985. Even in 30 years there will be programs that can read it. Your data is independent of individual providers — unlike Ancestry or MyHeritage, where you often don't get a complete export when your subscription ends.
GalaxyRoots is currently a free hobby project with no income. If you want to help:
Feedback to info@galaxyroots.com — what's missing, what's confusing, what would you like to see?
Recommendations — in your genealogy group, at genealogist meetups, in forums.
Bug reports if something doesn't work.