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Why versions matter: the 4 layers of protection

Last updated May 15, 2026 · 5 min read

One of long-form writing's worst fears: the paragraph you finally got right is gone. Maybe you deleted it by accident. Maybe the AI rewrote it and you don't like the result. Maybe you tried a big rewrite and now you want the original back. Slima's four layers of protection mean your draft is never actually lost.

The four layers at a glance

Layer Mechanism When it saves you
Layer 1 Local IndexedDB snapshot (every few seconds) Browser crash / accidental tab close
Layer 2 Version history (auto + manual) Big rewrites, restoring, browsing the past
Layer 3 Cloud sync Switch devices, dead laptop
Layer 4 Export to .slima / Markdown / Word Walk away from Slima entirely if you want

Each layer is independent. If one fails, the next catches.

Layer 1: local IndexedDB

Every few seconds while you type, Slima saves to your browser's IndexedDB in the background. It doesn't need the network.

What this catches: browser crashes, blue screens, accidental tab closes, sudden power loss. You'll lose at most a few seconds of typing.

Layer 1 runs silently in the background, nothing for you to manage. The sync indicator next to the book title reflects Layer 3 (cloud) — this local layer protects you whether you are online or off.

Layer 2: version history (the layer you'll actually use)

Slima Writing Studio editor as a visual reference: left file tree / centre editor with format toolbar / right Notes panel

This is the layer you actively reach for.

Two kinds of version:

  • Auto-versions — Slima creates them periodically, before the AI writes, and when a file changes a lot
  • Manual versions — you click "Create version", give it a name you'll recognize ("revision pass 1")

See: Create a manual version and name it · Auto-version rules

What this catches:

  • Wanting to switch POV, cut a subplot, rewrite an ending — restore any time
  • AI rewrite didn't land — restore to before the AI touched it
  • You wrote a passage you love and want to protect — name a version

Layer 3: cloud sync

When you close the tab or after a quiet period, your content syncs to Slima's cloud.

What this catches:

  • Writing across devices (home → work → phone)
  • Dead hard drive, lost laptop
  • Reinstall / switch browsers

Sign in from another device and your book is there.

See: Connection & sync · Sync conflicts

Layer 4: export

The last line of defence: you can always take the book out.

  • .slima backup — complete archive, importable back into any Slima account
  • Markdown — plain text, portable
  • Word (.docx) / EPUB — for publishers, friends, distribution

What this catches:

  • Wanting to leave Slima entirely — your work comes with you
  • Keeping a backup on your own Google Drive / iCloud / hard disk
  • Sending an editor a traditional manuscript

See: Import & export

Three practical tips

  1. Create a named version at every major turn — auto-versions are the safety net, named versions are landmarks
  2. After every chapter, export a Markdown copy to your own cloud — five-second habit, worst-case insurance
  3. Don't disable auto-versions — they cost you nothing and save you everything

Related

Try it in Slima

Open the app and do this with your own book. Free to start, no credit card.

Open Slima
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