Vitalik Buterin compared the local‑first method to a library system where data needed often is kept locally and the rest fetched on demand

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According to Buterin, these nodes verify blocks and the entire chain without storing all the data by utilizing stateless verification or zkEVM. They will be programmed to store a selected subset of data instead of a full set, and are still able to perform requests pertaining to data in the selected portion.

The “local-first” approach mirrors a library system: you keep the books you use often, and borrow the rest when needed.