Choose how to sync your workspace
nokko syncs its Markdown and invoice files, not a whole Obsidian vault. Use GitHub for a team and iCloud for one person's own devices. Use your own server if you run one, and no sync if one device is enough.
For Mac, iPhone · Last checked
The four options side by side
| Item | No sync | GitHub | Own server (SFTP) | iCloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suits | No syncOne device, nothing to set up | GitHubTeams, and anyone who wants a full history | Own server (SFTP)Teams or individuals who already run a server | iCloudOne person with their own Mac and iPhone |
| One person or a team | No syncOne person | GitHubBoth. Invite people by GitHub username. | Own server (SFTP)Both. Give people access to the server. | iCloudOne person only. Nobody can be invited. |
| What you need | No syncNothing | GitHubA GitHub account for each person. A free one is enough. | Own server (SFTP)An SFTP login on a server that meets the requirements | iCloudThe same Apple Account on each device |
| Mac | No syncYes | GitHubStarts the workspace, or joins one | Own server (SFTP)Starts the workspace, or joins one | iCloudStarts the workspace, or joins one |
| iPhone | No syncYes, kept on that iPhone | GitHubJoins only. A Mac must share it first. | Own server (SFTP)Joins only. A Mac must share it first. | iCloudStarts the workspace, or joins one |
| What syncs | No syncNothing leaves the device | GitHub.md files, plus images and PDFs in the top-level People/ and Invoices/ folders | Own server (SFTP)The same as GitHub | iCloudThe same as GitHub |
| Quiet check | No syncNone | GitHubEvery 20 seconds | Own server (SFTP)Every 60 seconds | iCloudEvery 30 seconds |
| Conflicts | No syncNone | GitHubMerged line by line. The same line changed two ways keeps both versions. | Own server (SFTP)The same as GitHub | iCloudThe same as GitHub |
| Who changed what | No syncNo record | GitHubA commit per change, and the Activity feed | Own server (SFTP)No record | iCloudNo record |
| Getting a deleted file back | No syncThe Mac's Trash, or a daily snapshot | GitHubEvery version stays in the repository's history | Own server (SFTP)In .nokko-trash/ on the server for 30 days | iCloudThe Mac's Trash, or a daily snapshot. nokko keeps a copy in iCloud for 30 days but has no command to restore it. |
Every option also syncs a couple of seconds after each change, and when you press the sync button. A workspace syncs while it is the open one.
What sync carries, and what it leaves
All three sync options carry the same files. They are .md files anywhere in the workspace, and png, jpg, jpeg, tiff, heic and pdf files inside the top-level People/ and Invoices/ folders. A folder of the same name deeper down does not count. Settings, including your seller details on Settings ▸ Billing, stay on each Mac.
These stay on the device you made them on:
- Dot folders, including
.obsidianand nokko's own.nokko - Attachments anywhere else in the workspace
- Any file over 50 MB
- A file whose name differs from another only in letter case
- Symbolic links
If a file is over 50 MB or clashes on letter case, the Mac's sidebar footer says how many. Click it to see each one and why. The other items on this list are left out without a message. Nothing is deleted. If you use Obsidian, read sync without Obsidian Sync before you choose.
A device in reading mode still receives what other devices changed. Only its own edits are locked.
Do not keep a workspace in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive
The fix is to move the folder somewhere local, such as a new folder in your home folder. Your Documents folder counts as iCloud Drive if you turned on iCloud's Desktop & Documents option. Then open the folder with Workspace ▸ Open Workspace… and pick one of the sync options above.
nokko's own iCloud option is different. It does not use a folder in iCloud Drive. Your files stay in an ordinary local folder, and nokko copies them to a private store in your iCloud account. Its own conflict rules apply. iCloud Drive is something else has the detail.
Questions
- Can one nokko workspace use GitHub and iCloud at the same time?
- No. A nokko workspace has one sync connection. The Workspace menu stops offering the other options once one is set, because a second connection would replace the first. Different workspaces can use different options, so a client workspace can sit on GitHub while a personal one sits in iCloud.
- Does nokko send my files to a server of its own?
- No. nokko has no server for your files and no account to create. With sync off, nokko opens no network connection for it. With sync on, your files go only to the place you chose: your own GitHub repository, your own SFTP server, or your own iCloud.
- Can I change nokko's sync option later?
- Yes, for GitHub and a server. Open the workspace in nokko on the Mac, open Settings, General, and choose Forget GitHub Connection or Forget Server Connection from the workspace's menu. The files stay on the Mac and in the old place. The Workspace menu then offers all three options again. Leaving iCloud on the Mac takes a manual step, covered on the iCloud page.