Synchronizing data between computers and mobile devices using Syncthing

Conclusions

Syncthing and all its components are free. The project is in constant development and on the right track. However, the finishing touch to the application is still missing, although this does not mean that Syncthing does not fulfill its purpose. The synchronization worked flawlessly and completed within a reasonable time. Delays, such as the approximately one-minute pause when restarting the daemon, which it needs for each change to the settings according to the P2P principle.

The somewhat unfinished impression – which is certainly tolerable in the current version 0.11.25 – is caused by the relatively frequent error messages that still report a non-existent error despite synchronization working flawlessly. However, the team should be able to tidy up such trivialities soon at the current development rate.

The documentation, which is currently only available in English, helps get over the first hurdles for the setup [12]. Additionally, extended documentation [13], a pretty comprehensive FAQ [14], and an explanation of how to configure the network settings in the router and firewall [15] are available online.

Syncthing supports many platforms and is suitable both for home data synchronization and for exchanging data with colleagues or friends. The fairly simple configuration and error-free synchronization across multiple devices mean you can overlook the small irritations that still exist. All told, Syncthing is a free software tool that can be recommended and that many users have probably been waiting for.

The Author

Ferdinand Thommes lives and works as a Linux developer, freelance writer, and tour guide in Berlin.

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