status:: #status/identified
up::
tags:: #tool #sync #windows #android #opensource
download:: https://syncthing.net/downloads/
website:: https://syncthing.net/
platforms::
- Linux
- Windows
- Android
- macOS
- many others

Syncthing

Syncthing is a continuous file synchronization program. It synchronizes files between two or more computers in real time, safely protected from prying eyes. Your data is your data alone, and you deserve to choose where it is stored, whether it is shared with some third party, and how it’s transmitted over the internet.

• Documentation: https://docs.syncthing.net/intro/getting-started.html
• Open-Source? Yes
• Usability:
  • It is relatively easy to get it up and running.
  • Linking devices are straightforward, especially using device ID QR code
  • Intuitive in selecting which folder to be synced to which devices
• Pros:
  • No central hub, so the data are not available anywhere except my own devices.
  • Flexible
  • Portable, no installation required.
  • Supports multiple flavors for File Versioning
    1. Backup file which gets deleted after specific duration.
    2. Have multiple versions for a file. The number of versions is configurable.
    3. A combination between 1 and 2.
  • E2E encrypted
  • Ignore Files
• Cons:
  • Since the data are not stored in a central hub, it requires both devices, source and receiver, to be online at the same time to be able to synchronize.
    • To overcome this problem, you can set your own central hub if you want.
  • On Windows, it uses a local web page for control instead of an app. This requires to open the app manually and to have a browser open.
    • This guide has multiple workaround to solve the autostart problem. I used the below one:
      • Navigate to startup folder using %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup or shell:startup using RUN.
      • Create a new shortcut in the folder
      • Enter the path to syncthing.exe in “Type the location of the item:” followed by --no-console --no-browser (for example C:\syncthing\syncthing.exe --no-console --no-browser).
        • If Windows Terminal is the default terminal, then the console will be launched despite the --no-console command, it was addressed in this issue. To overcome this, add the path of the Windows Console Host at the beginning. So the final target should be C:\Windows\System32\conhost.exe "C:\Program Files\syncthing-v1.23.4\syncthing.exe" --no-console --no-browser
      • Syncthing will now automatically start the next time you log on to your user account in Windows. No console or browser window will pop-up, but you can still access the interface by opening http://localhost:8384 in a Web browser.
• Other Concerns:
  • Still monitoring its mobile battery consumption.
    • It is very heavy on mobile battery
  • Will be there any sync conflicts and how it will handle solving them?
    • It keeps both versions