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PassWave: Password Generator with Supabase Vault — from idea to PWA in 2 weeks

Constantin Potapov
9 min

Building a safe password generator and lightweight vault with client‑side encryption, offline mode, and Supabase sync. Architecture choices, PWA, i18n, and Telegram integration notes.

When You Want a Password, Not a New Lifestyle Subscription

Sometimes you just need a strong, espresso‑like password. Generate, copy, move on. In practice you end up in a mini CRM for your secrets: subscriptions, syncs, “happy safe forever” plans.

I wanted simplicity. That’s how PassWave was born — a minimalist password generator with an optional vault. No obligations, no pressure, no “enter credit card to continue.”

Try it: https://password.potapov.me

The idea started as a Telegram Mini App — neat until I realized a PWA is more universal. Installable on phone/desktop, works offline, not tied to a platform. The Telegram version is on the shelf if there’s demand.

Context of the Era

The password manager market is mature and “heavy”: subscriptions, ecosystems, autofill. People often want a quick way to generate/store a few secrets. After headline breaches, demand for client‑side encryption and offline grew.

What Shipped (MVP in 2 Weeks)

🔐 Security without Lecture

  • Everything is encrypted client‑side. The server sees an opaque encrypted blob and has no idea what’s inside.
  • Passwords are generated with proper crypto, not “random from an alley.”
  • The passphrase is yours only. Lose it — I can’t recover. On the upside, neither can I see your secrets.

📱 A Real PWA

  • Install to home screen; behaves like an app.
  • Full offline: generation + local vault without internet.
  • Cross‑device sync — only when you choose, not “we synced it all, hope you don’t mind.”

🌍 i18n

From day one: Russian, English, and friends. Languages mount without drama.

🧩 Features

  • Password presets and “no O/0 and I/l.”
  • Passphrases if you prefer “correct‑horse‑battery‑staple.”
  • Batch generation for a tidy sweep.
  • QR to move secrets between devices without messaging yourself.
  • Dark mode. Obviously.

Important: this is not a replacement for heavyweight 100,500‑entry managers. It’s a pocket multitool — generate, store a few important items, live in peace.

Business Insights

  • JTBD: “Quickly generate and store a handful of secrets, offline, no subscription.”
  • Positioning: privacy‑first, zero‑knowledge, PWA (no vendor lock‑in).
  • Monetization (if needed): one‑time unlock/themes/wordlists; B2B white‑label.
  • Channels: SEO “password generator”, social challenges, privacy communities.

Why These Choices

  • No autofill/extensions/“we’ll do it all for you.” Fewer moving parts = fewer bugs and safer UX.
  • Supabase sync with encrypted blobs only. Server as courier, not reader.
  • No registration required — stay local if you want.

Who It’s For

  • Freelancers, developers, anyone signing up for new services often.
  • Those who don’t want a subscription just to generate passwords.
  • Those who like offline and control.

Roadmap (Short and Pragmatic)

  • Lightweight import/export.
  • More passphrase dictionaries.
  • Mini “paranoia mode”: auto‑lock on blur.

PassWave is not “another manager.” It’s a cozy pocket generator that doesn’t intrude, does its job, and steps out of the way — as intended.

See also