Dev.to
7/11/2026
Will your tracker still exist next year? Switching-cost anxiety, and the one-command exit
Short summary
The real cost of adopting a tracker isn't its features today but the switching cost of leaving it later — data export difficulty, vendor shutdowns, and post-acquisition pivots all compound that risk. The author proposes a 'leave test': can you export everything on demand in a portable format without gated permissions? Radial, the author's own tracker tool, passes by offering a one-command CLI export to JSON or CSV.
- •Switching costs are the hidden price of adopting any tracker tool
- •Run a 'leave test' before committing: check export format, access, and who controls your exit
- •Radial offers one-command full workspace export to JSON or CSV with no plan gate
Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.
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