Offline Mode — Using Racines Without Internet
Why an offline mode?
Racines is designed to work entirely without an internet connection once the content has been downloaded. This is particularly useful: - While travelling (plane, train, countries with limited connectivity) - In areas with poor network coverage - To save your mobile data - For uninterrupted learning
How to trigger the download
Option 1: During initial unlock
When you enter your access code for the first time, the download starts automatically after validation.
Option 2: From the language page
If you did not complete the initial download, or if you want to update the content: 1. From the home page, click on the unlocked language 2. On the language page, select "Mode Offline" or "Télécharger" 3. The progress window opens
The 5 download steps
The progress window shows you the progress in real time:
| Step | Name | What happens | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/5 | Connection check | The app tests your internet connection | < 1 s |
| 2/5 | Downloading cards | Texts, translations and metadata stored in IndexedDB | 2–10 s |
| 3/5 | Downloading audio | Each MP3 file is cached | 1–10 min |
| 4/5 | Cleanup | Deletion of old files that are now obsolete | < 2 s |
| 5/5 | Page pre-caching | HTML pages are cached for offline navigation | < 5 s |
The audio step (step 3)
This is the longest step. Progress is shown with: - A counter: e.g. "42 / 480 audio files" - A progress bar - The estimate may vary depending on your connection
💡 Tip: Start the download over Wi-Fi. On a mobile connection, it may take longer and consume data.
Status indicators
OfflineIndicator — connection banner
A discreet banner may appear at the top of the screen to indicate: - 🟢 Online — connected to the internet - 🔴 Offline — no connection (the app keeps working!)
This banner is not permanent: it appears when the connection state changes.
GlobalDownloadIndicator — background download
If a download is in progress (or has been interrupted), an icon or bar may appear in the navigation to indicate the download state.
What works offline
| Feature | Available offline? |
|---|---|
| Word cards (texts and translations) | ✅ Yes |
| Audio for word cards | ✅ If downloaded |
| Phrase cards (texts) | ✅ Yes |
| Audio for phrase cards | ✅ If downloaded |
| RÉVISION QCM | ✅ Yes (data in IndexedDB) |
| Navigation within the app | ✅ Yes |
| Search within cards | ✅ Yes |
| Unlocking a new language | ❌ Requires internet |
| Sending a contact message | ❌ Requires internet |
| Statistics synchronisation | ⏳ Deferred until reconnection |
Storage space required
| Content | Approximate space |
|---|---|
| Texts and metadata (IndexedDB) | < 1 MB per language |
| Audio (browser cache) | 5–10 MB per language |
| Total per language | 5–10 MB |
| 3 languages downloaded | ~15–30 MB |
| 5 languages downloaded | ~25–50 MB |
The exact space depends on the number of cards and audio recordings available for each language.
If the download is interrupted
The download may be interrupted if: - The connection is lost during the audio step - You close the app or navigate away - The device goes to sleep
What happens: - Files already downloaded are kept - The download stops cleanly - An indicator may remain visible in the navigation
How to resume: 1. Reconnect to the internet 2. Go to the language page → "Mode Offline" 3. Restart the download — it picks up where it left off (files already cached are not re-downloaded)
The network circuit breaker
The app intelligently manages unstable connections. If the connection fails several times in a short period, the app enters degraded mode: - Network requests are temporarily suspended - The app relies exclusively on cached content - The connection is tested in the background every 30 seconds, then up to 5 minutes apart if tests continue to fail
This logic prevents saturating your network with repeated, unsuccessful attempts.
Updating the content
New audio recordings are added regularly. To receive updates: 1. Connect to the internet 2. Go to the language page → "Mode Offline" 3. Restart the download — only new files are downloaded
Deleting offline content
To free up space on your device:
Option 1: From the download page (recommended) - Deletes only the content for that language — other languages are not affected - Your access code remains saved: you will not need to re-enter it 1. From the home screen, tap the language 2. Select "Mode Offline" 3. Tap "Supprimer" 4. Confirm the deletion
Option 2: Clear the browser cache - ⚠️ This deletes all offline data from all sites - You will need to re-enter your access code and re-download the content
Chrome procedure (Android/Desktop): Settings → Privacy and security → Clear browsing data → Check "Cached images and files" + "Site data" → Clear
Safari procedure (iOS): Settings → Safari → Clear History and Website Data
Option 3: Uninstall the PWA app If you installed the app, uninstall it from the home screen or browser settings.
Testing offline mode
To verify that everything works without a connection: 1. Complete the download for all desired languages 2. Enable airplane mode on your device 3. Open the app and browse through the cards 4. Try listening to audio 5. Take a revision quiz 6. Everything should work normally ✅