Understanding Lattice
This section explains the concepts, architecture, and philosophy behind Lattice.
Topics
- What is Lattice? - Mental model and key concepts
- How It Works - Architecture deep dive
- Agents & Tasks - Core primitives explained
- Privacy & Data - Data sovereignty and security
Quick Comparison
Lattice vs Lattice Cloud: Lattice is the local-first runtime daemon running on your own machine. Lattice Cloud is a separate product — a distributed-compute coordination layer and inference marketplace that operates independently of whether you have Lattice installed. You can use Lattice without Lattice Cloud, and Lattice Cloud without a local Lattice installation.
| Aspect | Lattice (local runtime) | Lovelace platform services | Hybrid mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Storage | Local only | Cloud + local | Local by default |
| Connectivity | Offline capable | Requires internet | Optional cloud |
| Setup | 5 minute install | No installation | Install Lattice |
| Scaling | Limited to one machine | Unlimited | Limited locally |
| Team Collaboration | Limited (P2P mesh) | Full featured | With optional sync |
| Cost | Free | Subscription | Free (local) + optional paid |
| Control | Complete | Platform managed | You decide per feature |
When Lattice is Right for You
✅ Use Lattice for:
- Building privacy-critical applications
- Developing offline-first features
- Testing in air-gapped environments
- Learning without cloud dependencies
- Small to medium scale deployments
- Cost-sensitive development
❌ Don't use lattice for:
- Large distributed team collaboration
- Enterprise-scale deployments
- Applications requiring high availability
- Real-time team features
- Managed security requirements