Syncthing

Want to keep your notes synced across devices without relying on cloud services?

Syncthing is an open-source, peer-to-peer sync tool that keeps your files synchronized directly between your own devices—no third-party servers involved.

It's perfect if you value privacy and want complete control over your data.

What is Syncthing?

Syncthing is a continuous file synchronization program that runs on your devices and syncs folders directly between them over your local network or the internet.

Unlike cloud services, your files never touch someone else's servers—they go straight from one of your devices to another, encrypted in transit.

It's free, open-source, and works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and more.

Once set up, it runs in the background and keeps your Octarine workspace in sync automatically.

Setting Up Syncthing

1. Install Syncthing on all devices you want to sync — download from the Syncthing website
2. Open the web interface at http://localhost:8384 in your browser
3. Add devices:
   • Find your Device ID in the Syncthing interface on each device
   • Click "Add Remote Device" on your other devices and paste the ID
   • Do this on both sides (e.g., add desktop's ID on laptop, and vice versa)
4. Share your workspace folder:
   • Click "Add Folder" in Syncthing's interface
   • Navigate to your Octarine workspace
   • Give it a label (like "Octarine Notes")
   • Choose which devices to share it with
   • Select "Send & Receive" mode for two-way sync
5. Repeat on all devices — point to the same workspace location and Syncthing will start syncing immediately

How It Works

Once configured, Syncthing runs continuously in the background, watching for changes in your workspace folder.

When you save a note in Octarine, Syncthing detects the change and pushes it to your other devices within seconds (assuming they're online).

Unlike cloud sync, Syncthing is peer-to-peer. If both your laptop and desktop are on the same network, files sync directly between them—fast and private.

If one device is offline, Syncthing waits until it comes back online and then syncs the changes.

Things to Know

File conflicts: If you edit the same note on two devices while they're offline, Syncthing creates a conflict copy with a timestamp in the filename.

You'll see both versions in Octarine's file tree—just review them, merge any changes, and delete the conflict copy.

Versioning: Syncthing supports versioning, so if you accidentally delete or overwrite a file, you can recover previous versions.

You'll need to enable this in the folder settings (look for "File Versioning" and choose a method like "Simple File Versioning" or "Staggered File Versioning").

Performance: The first sync can take a while if you have a large workspace, but after that, Syncthing only syncs changes, so it's fast.

It uses minimal resources and runs quietly in the background.

When Things Don't Sync

If your notes aren't syncing, here's what to check:

• Check Syncthing is running on all devices (look for the icon in your system tray or menu bar)
• Verify devices are connected — they should show as "Connected" in the web interface
• Enable Relay in settings if devices are on different networks
• Check firewall settings — review Syncthing logs for connection errors
• Refresh the file tree by clicking the refresh icon in Octarine's toolbar

Why Choose Syncthing?

Syncthing is great if you want:

• Privacy: Your files never leave your devices except to go to your other devices.
• No storage limits: You're only limited by the space on your own devices.
• No subscription fees: It's completely free and open-source.
• Control: You decide what syncs, when, and with which devices.

It takes a bit more setup than a cloud service, but once it's running, it's rock-solid and completely private.