Privacy and data storage.

BuildAPC provides guest planning without an account. Public pages load Google Tag Manager (container GTM-THF5TBP3), which Google uses to measure visits; Google may set cookies and receives standard request details under its own privacy policy. The account and offline pages are not tagged. We do not run advertising pixels. It does not read retailer cookies, passwords, other sites’ browsing history or login tokens. Calculations do not require tracking consent.

What this browser keeps.

BuildAPC uses localStorage when available for your appearance preference, current build, comparison list, named build library/versions, active selection, snapshot source context and previous-draft/recovery copies. An optional shopping profile and equivalent-cart quotes are stored separately on this browser; they can include membership choices, ZIP, pickup/deadline preferences, discount reminders and checkout amounts. These records can include custom item names, prices, ownership, budgets and notes. They remain until removed by you or your browser; storage can be cleared or denied by browser settings.

If storage fails, available work remains in the open visit with a warning. Download your build or library before closing it. Guest work stays local unless you explicitly use private cloud sync.

The catalog-return filters for this tab are kept in its navigation state so reload and return links still work. That return context is not sent to analytics.

Your optional signed-in cloud library.

The cloud sync page uses native ChatGPT sign-in. The hosting platform supplies a stable identity scoped to this Site; the application stores an opaque hash of that identity, not your email or full name. Cloudflare D1 stores only the validated build library you explicitly review and upload. Nothing uploads automatically. Names, part references, quantities, saved settings and dated price context may be included; private notes are excluded unless you choose to include them. Shopping memberships, ZIP and separate checkout records are excluded.

Cloud builds are private to that signed-in account. Community publishing is separately gated and not yet enabled. Private community drafts and photos require their own explicit review/upload. Download cloud JSON to move a copy to another device, then import it in the builder. Cloud saves check revisions; conflicting copies remain available for review. The private-library API documents stable portable formats, account-bound conditions and per-account rate limits shared across its aliases. Short-lived hashed request counters limit reads/saves/deletions; deletion does not reset those counters. Limits are 20 named builds, 20 versions per build, 256 KB per snapshot and 1.5 MB per library. Deleting a cloud build removes its cloud versions. Delete all removes every cloud build and note; an opaque account hash, monotonic revision and timestamp remain to block stale uploads from restoring deleted data. Browser copies, downloads and your ChatGPT account are separate. Signing out does not erase local site storage.

Your optional community copy.

The completed-build workspace is separate from the guest builder and private cloud library. Reading a browser draft or JSON file happens locally. Only the technical part list, chosen public title/display name, workload and context you review are sent when you save a community draft. Private notes, prices, budgets, custom items, installation assumptions and shopping/account fields are excluded. Drafts/photos are private until a configured moderator approves a submitted snapshot and operator/public-launch gates are enabled. Owner-attested completion and photo rights are not independent verification.

Photos are normalized locally to bounded PNGs with metadata removed, checked again on the server and stored in private Cloudflare R2. Photo delivery is authorized through the app; there are no public storage-bucket URLs. Public comments require signed-in identity and moderation; reports are private to moderators. Rate counters use hashed account identity. Editing or withdrawing revokes publication. Deletion removes draft text, submitted versions and authored comment/report details, revokes photo access and attempts object deletion. Failed/bounded cleanup is visible and can be retried. Minimal hashed ownership, revision, rate and photo-key/deletion records remain to fence stale writes and retry cleanup; downloaded copies are separate. Erase my community data does not delete the private cloud library or browser storage, and private cloud-library deletion does not erase community records.

Your optional offline copy.

The offline workspace keeps selected build inputs, original dated component evidence and matching checklist progress on this device. App code is cached separately. Named-library notes, memberships, ZIP codes, product photos and the full catalogue are excluded. Offline edits stay separate until you explicitly review/apply them in the builder; no cloud synchronization occurs. Browser storage can be denied or evicted, so keep an exported backup. Use Delete offline copy and disable offline app on that page to remove its workspace, app cache and offline registration while retaining the main draft, library and shopping settings. Downloads, installed shortcuts and ordinary browser HTTP cache are separate.

Your opt-in in-site alerts.

The alerts page keeps confirmed exact-component/quantity targets and historical receipts in a separate browser-local store, limited to30rules/100receipts within500KB. It checks the loaded source snapshot on visits, refresh or while the page is open; there is no email or background retailer feed. Stale/unknown evidence cannot trigger a match. Alert exports contain your chosen quantities and thresholds, so keep them private. Pause, unsubscribe and Delete all controls are on that page; they preserve the main builder, library and shopping settings. Browser storage may be denied or evicted, and exported copies are separate. No email, raw retailer cookie or build notes are collected for alerts.

Sharing is your choice.

A build link contains a bounded snapshot in its URL fragment. Technical links include component IDs, quantities, custom item names and layout assumptions. Private notes are always omitted; name, pricing, ownership and budget require the share-pricing option. Shopping membership, ZIP, pickup/deadline preferences and separately saved cart quotes are excluded from build links and exports. Fragments are not part of the normal HTTP request, but anyone with the copied link can decode its contents. The browser consumes the fragment after loading it to avoid replaying it on reload.

JSON, Markdown and print exports can include manual price/ownership/cost context. Private notes require the explicit download setting. Builder JSON imports are parsed and validated locally. On the separate cloud sync page, only a reviewed copy uploads after you choose Save to cloud. Snapshot price claims are not treated as current verified retailer offers.

Remove or retain your data.

Download a build or local library from the builder’s Save / share panel to retain a copy. To remove all BuildAPC local records, use your browser’s site-data settings for this site. “Clear build” only empties the active draft; named libraries, recovery copies and other preferences may still exist. Deleting local site data cannot erase downloads, browser history or copies you shared with someone else.

Requests and other sites.

Your browser makes standard requests for pages and assets. buildapc.shop is served from our own web server, which keeps standard request logs (IP address, time, page and browser user agent) to operate and secure the site. Signed-in cloud sync and community features are not yet available on buildapc.shop. Clicking an external manufacturer, retailer or support link opens another site governed by its own practices.

The corrections form below prepares text locally. If you choose to send a report through a configured email or support destination, that service receives what you submit under its own practices. Do not include passwords, payment details or private build notes.

Contact and corrections →