Syncthing vs Unison

Overview

Syncthing

Stacks48

Followers78

Votes2

GitHub Stars77.3K

Forks4.8K

Unison

Stacks6

Followers16

Votes2

GitHub Stars6.2K

Forks285

Syncthing vs Unison: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss the key differences between Syncthing and Unison. Both Syncthing and Unison are file synchronization tools that allow users to keep their files in sync across multiple devices or computers. However, there are distinct differences between the two.

Operating System Compatibility: Syncthing is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. On the other hand, Unison is primarily designed for Unix-like systems and may not be as compatible with other operating systems.
Synchronization Method: Syncthing uses a decentralized synchronization model, which means that files are synced directly between devices without relying on a central server. Unison, on the other hand, is a centralized synchronization tool that requires a central server to facilitate file synchronization between devices.
Conflict Resolution: When conflicts arise, Syncthing gives users the ability to manually resolve conflicts by choosing which version of the file to keep. Unison, on the other hand, provides automated conflict resolution, where it compares the modification times of files to determine the most recent version to keep.
User Interface: Syncthing provides a web-based user interface that allows users to easily manage their synced devices and folders from a browser. Unison, on the other hand, primarily relies on command-line interaction and may have a steeper learning curve for users who are not familiar with the command line.
Network Configuration: Syncthing uses a peer-to-peer network configuration, where devices directly communicate with each other without the need for port forwarding or complicated network configurations. Unison, on the other hand, requires manual network configuration and may require port forwarding or VPN setup to sync files over the internet.
Real-time Sync: Syncthing offers real-time synchronization, meaning that as soon as a change is made to a file, it is immediately synced to other devices. Unison, on the other hand, operates on a schedule and performs periodic syncs at predefined intervals.

In Summary, Syncthing and Unison differ in terms of operating system compatibility, synchronization method, conflict resolution, user interface, network configuration, and real-time sync capability.

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CLI (Node.js)

Manual

Detailed Comparison

Syncthing	Unison
It is a continuous file synchronization program. It synchronizes files between two or more computers and replaces proprietary sync and cloud services with something open, trustworthy and decentralized. Your data is your data alone and you deserve to choose where it is stored, if it is shared with some third party and how it's transmitted over the internet.	It is an open source functional programming language based on a simple idea with big implications: code is content-addressed and immutable.
Configure and monitor Syncthing via a responsive and powerful interface accessible via your browser; Portable; Synchronize as many folders as you need with different people	Statically-typed ;Next generation programming language;Purely functional language; Similar to Haskell
Statistics
GitHub Stars 77.3K	GitHub Stars 6.2K
GitHub Forks 4.8K	GitHub Forks 285
Stacks 48	Stacks 6
Followers 78	Followers 16
Votes 2	Votes 2
Pros & Cons
Pros 1 Offline 1 Convenient to use Cons 1 Not intuitive how to set up on a headless machine	Pros 1 Simpler 1 Algebraic effects Cons 1 Alpha quality
Integrations
Linux OpenBSD Windows Mac OS X FreeBSD	No integrations available

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Syncthing vs Unison: What are the differences?

Introduction

Operating System Compatibility: Syncthing is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. On the other hand, Unison is primarily designed for Unix-like systems and may not be as compatible with other operating systems.
Synchronization Method: Syncthing uses a decentralized synchronization model, which means that files are synced directly between devices without relying on a central server. Unison, on the other hand, is a centralized synchronization tool that requires a central server to facilitate file synchronization between devices.
Conflict Resolution: When conflicts arise, Syncthing gives users the ability to manually resolve conflicts by choosing which version of the file to keep. Unison, on the other hand, provides automated conflict resolution, where it compares the modification times of files to determine the most recent version to keep.
User Interface: Syncthing provides a web-based user interface that allows users to easily manage their synced devices and folders from a browser. Unison, on the other hand, primarily relies on command-line interaction and may have a steeper learning curve for users who are not familiar with the command line.
Network Configuration: Syncthing uses a peer-to-peer network configuration, where devices directly communicate with each other without the need for port forwarding or complicated network configurations. Unison, on the other hand, requires manual network configuration and may require port forwarding or VPN setup to sync files over the internet.
Real-time Sync: Syncthing offers real-time synchronization, meaning that as soon as a change is made to a file, it is immediately synced to other devices. Unison, on the other hand, operates on a schedule and performs periodic syncs at predefined intervals.

In Summary, Syncthing and Unison differ in terms of operating system compatibility, synchronization method, conflict resolution, user interface, network configuration, and real-time sync capability.

Syncthing vs Unison

Overview