obsidian-livesync/updates.md

1.0

Well then, everyone: it has been roughly a year since I declared the 0.25 beta. During that time, we have concentrated mainly on fixing defects and completing the features that the project needed.

Version 1.0 has been in mind for some time. We have now brought together the work intended to make it possible: stronger CI, more detailed tests, an E2E runner suited to synchronisation, and testing tools for physical devices. These now form a coherent Kit rather than a collection of isolated pieces. With those foundations in place, it seems that the time has finally come to reshape the structure of this repository.

None of this would have been possible without your issue reports, pull requests, sponsorship, and the support provided through OpenAI's Codex for Open Source. I would like to express my gratitude once again. As with every pull request contributed to the project, code produced with Codex and similar tools is reviewed and audited by me, vrtmrz. Anyone interested in how I manage that process can refer to my dotfiles.

This will call for your help once again. I would be very grateful for your co-operation as we build a sounder foundation for the project and its future development.

Earlier releases remain available in the 1.0 release history, the 1.0 preview history, the 0.25 release history, and the legacy release history.

Unreleased

1.0.45

5th November, 2026

Some of my recent replies have been sporting the Codex icon. Rest assured: I simply ask Codex to polish my English and discreetly intercept the occasional ill-judged remark before I post.

New Feature

Synchronisation

• We can recognise equivalent composed and decomposed Unicode file names as the same file when synchronising through Object Storage or P2P. (#1309)
  • Select Unicode NFC path identity under General Settings → File identity. Supported by the CLI and Obsidian; physical file names and Chunk IDs remain unchanged.
  • To migrate a Legacy database, update every participating client, stop synchronisation and editing, and preserve a complete, backed-up authoritative Vault, unique edits, and required history. Resolve colliding names before Rebuild on the source and Fetch on the remaining devices. With P2P, Rebuild prepares only the source database; keep that device online for Fetch.
  • New CLI settings and Obsidian manual setup use NFC. Existing settings and older Setup URIs retain Legacy identity; initial CouchDB or Object Storage setup follows the remote's declared identity.
  • Object Storage remotes with existing Journals but no compatibility declaration also require Rebuild, even in Legacy mode.

Fixed

Object Storage

• Journal receive failures now stop replication instead of silently passing over records which could not be decoded, processed, or saved. (#1318)

  • After correcting the cause, retry replication with the same local database to receive the failed Journal again.
  • If a Journal cannot be recovered and missing content or history is acceptable, use Maintenance → Syncing → Skip stopped Journal and resume. The confirmation identifies its exact key and failure stage. Only that Journal is skipped; the next failure still stops receipt.
  • Journals already passed over by an earlier version require Reset journal received history to be replayed. This re-reads Journals still available remotely, except those sent by this device, and cannot recreate missing remote Journals.

• A remote-only Rebuild resends the local database even when the Object Storage remote is already empty and this device retains its earlier transfer progress.

Synchronisation

• CouchDB synchronisation and Fetch no longer fail with decryption errors caused by stale encrypted responses in the Internal API cache after a Rebuild or plug-in restart. (#1234)
  • Reads use a cache query parameter based on the current start-up and Security Seed.
  • Use headers only for HTTP cache control (compatibility) under Power users → CouchDB Connection Tweak is disabled by default. Enable it only if the server or proxy rejects the additional query parameter; affected native caches may then reuse stale encrypted responses after Rebuild.

Conflict resolution

• Disabling or reloading the plug-in no longer causes a secondary error when pending work writes to the log. Late logs remain available in Obsidian's console.
  • Open conflict dialogues for ordinary files close immediately, and queued checks report cancellation.

Settings

• The English description of Do not split chunks in the background now correctly states that enabling the setting moves Chunk splitting to the UI thread. (#1313)

Translations

• The notice shown when a translation is available now displays the Display Language setting label correctly in English, French, Hebrew, Russian, and Simplified Chinese. Hebrew interface messages also display their referenced labels correctly. (#1298)

WebApp

• The experimental WebApp rejects unsupported NFC path identity before opening its database or processing Vault files, preserving the selected files and settings.
  • WebApp remains Legacy-only. Changing the setting does not migrate an NFC database.

Improved

Translations

• More of the interface is available in Japanese, including dialogue buttons, Vault history, SyncGuard, inspection reports, and Fetch restart confirmations. Japanese setup and settings guides have also been refreshed. (#1317)

CLI

New Feature

• We can resume Object Storage receipt after deliberately skipping one unrecoverable Journal with journal-skip <journal-key>.
  • Retry sync with --debug to inspect the stopped Journal key and failure stage. The command retries replication first and skips only the supplied Journal if it remains stopped.
  • Use this only when missing content or history is acceptable. The next Journal failure still stops receipt.

Fixed

• fetch and rebuild no longer replay pending file updates from the previous database at start-up. The old pending updates are discarded only after the local database reset succeeds.
• fetch and daemon can write received files to the Vault when handleFilenameCaseSensitive is enabled. The CLI detects whether the Vault filesystem distinguishes letter case. (#1319)
• NFC file lookups and directory scans report permission and I/O failures. Unreadable files are no longer treated as absent, and incomplete scans no longer count as successful.

Miscellaneous

• Updated dependencies.

Acknowledgements

Thank you for your contributions!

• @cwatanab, for improving Japanese translations and documentation, correcting translated labels, and correcting the Chunk splitting setting description (#1298, #1313, #1317).

1.0.44

1st November, 2026

Recently, I have been concentrating on maintenance and improvements to individual features. I began to wonder whether I had been focusing a little too closely on the details and could give more attention to the overall picture. That led me to a somewhat broader round of changes, including reworking parts of the architecture. Along the way, I was able to bring several implementations of the same concepts together, introduce shared abstractions, and tidy up the codebase a little.

Please let me know if any problems arise from these changes.

Fixed

Synchronisation

• Files containing a raw unit separator (U+001F) are no longer truncated when received through S3-compatible Object Storage. (#1303)

  • Update every participating client to prevent further truncation. Updating alone does not repair copies already damaged.
  • Before recovery, preserve verified intact copies, unique unsynchronised edits, and any required history, then follow the recovery procedure.
  • Rebuild and Fetch leave Hidden File Sync and Customisation Sync disabled. Initialise them deliberately after ordinary file recovery is complete.

• We can continue CouchDB synchronisation after rebuilding an encrypted remote when Use Internal API is enabled. (#1234)

  • Cached responses encrypted with the previous Security Seed no longer interfere with subsequent reads.

Conflict resolution

• A queued conflict check no longer gets stuck waiting for a response to an outdated comparison of the same file.

Hidden File Sync and Customisation Sync

• Newer local hidden files are no longer omitted when initialising Hidden File Sync with Merge.
• Refreshing the Customisation Sync catalogue no longer brings back outdated items from an earlier scan.

Improved

Hidden File Sync

• We can review the latest hidden-file revisions when changes arrive during a manual JSON comparison.
  • The earlier comparison closes, and the latest revisions are checked again. If another device has resolved the conflict, the comparison closes without asking for another selection.

Sunset

Recovery

• Recovery from old cleanup locks is now unified around the standard recovery dialogue, including on devices using the legacy IndexedDB adapter.
  • Use Fetch to reconstruct the local database from the remote, unlock the device when both databases are already aligned, or dismiss the dialogue.
  • These choices replace the legacy in-place Cleanup operation. Garbage Collection V3 remains available.
  • Before Fetch, preserve unsynchronised work and any required local history, as it replaces the local database.

CLI

Fixed

• We can continue using the reconstructed database after CLI fetch or rebuild, avoiding the empty-database restart and file deletion reported in #1304.

  • Subsequent commands retain the selected database even without --write-settings. Interrupted reconstruction blocks ordinary synchronisation until recovery.
  • Older runtime state with no recorded owner requires explicit reconstruction from a verified source. Back up unique edits before choosing Fetch or Rebuild.

• The CLI mirror starts correctly on Windows when the Vault path is omitted and the database directory is also used as the Vault.

Miscellaneous

• Installation and update downloads are smaller.
• Database initialisation handles encrypted change notifications more reliably. (Commonlib #191)

Acknowledgements

Thank you for your contributions!

• @AdrianNicu, for improving decryption handling during database initialisation (Commonlib #191).

1.0.43

30th October, 2026

Synchronisation

New Feature

• We can avoid accidentally editing out-of-date notes while a large CouchDB catch-up is in progress. (#1241, #1275)
  • Turn on Enable SyncGuard under General Settings → Appearance to cover the workspace until incoming changes have been received and applied to the Vault.
  • Disabled by default. During CouchDB LiveSync mode start-up or resume, protection begins after a configurable number of distinct incoming notes is detected (default: 20).
  • Continue without waiting releases the workspace, including after a failed or interrupted transfer. Synchronisation can continue, and some notes may still be out of date.
  • The settings apply only to this device.
  • Small catch-up transfers and ordinary live changes remain uninterrupted. Some changes can arrive before the guard activates; it does not prevent other plug-ins or external tools from editing files.

Improved

• We can tell that CouchDB synchronisation is progressing while it compares existing revisions, even before any files are uploaded. (#1293, #1294)
  • Separate ⏩↑ and ⏩↓ counts show the change-feed entries compared for push and pull. These are comparison counts; the upload and download totals remain separate.
  • Existing CSS snippets which target livesync-stat-ff to hide comparison progress need to target both livesync-stat-ff-push and livesync-stat-ff-pull. The status display guide includes updated examples.

Setup and recovery

Fixed

• We can choose how a new Join or scheduled Fetch handles our existing files, without silently reusing choices from an earlier Fetch. (#1244, #1296)
  • Each new operation asks again, including after a previous Fetch changed the local database suffix. Fast Setup retains interrupted choices in an editable code block in the fetch flag.
  • On restart, we confirm the current remote and saved choices, choose again, or cancel; a remaining flag never reapplies choices silently.
  • If the saved selection cannot be read, we can choose new options for that attempt without repairing or rewriting the flag. Completing or cancelling the operation removes the whole flag.
  • After updating during an interrupted Fetch, confirm the choices once more. Older separately stored choices are ignored; downloaded data and the existing checkpoint are not removed by this change.

Dialogues

Fixed

• Confirmation and setup actions are easier to follow, and keyboard focus remains visible. (#1297)
  • Buttons align with the content above them, with room for confirmation buttons' focus outlines.
• Mobile dialogues retain Obsidian's standard spacing and leave more usable space above the software keyboard. (#1297)

Translations

• More settings, setup, recovery, and configuration messages are available in Simplified Chinese. (#1258)
  • Expanded the translation catalogue to include previously untranslated messages and shared-library labels.

Miscellaneous

• Docker setup now handles shell-sensitive characters in health-check credentials correctly, avoiding false authentication failures which could prevent CouchDB initialisation. (#1295)

Acknowledgements

Thank you for your contributions!

• @Akilaydin, for adding the optional SyncGuard workspace protection (#1275).
• @ARCJ137442, for adding separate push and pull comparison progress displays (#1294).
• @Jovlang, for correcting Docker health-check credential quoting and authenticated readiness checks (#1295).
• @kannazuki-c, for expanding the Simplified Chinese translations (#1258).

1.0.42

27th October, 2026

Making content checks mandatory in the 1.0.41 pre-release came with a little too much overhead, so 1.0.42 makes them optional. This has turned into a slightly larger release.

Synchronisation

New Feature

• Rapid edits can produce fewer intermediate versions on other devices while LiveSync mode remains active.

  • Enable Batch database updates in LiveSync mode to group successive local edits.
    • Disabled by default; each synchronisation mode keeps its own choice.
    • Updates reach other devices later. Batching does not detect template completion or prevent genuine concurrent-edit conflicts.

• CouchDB synchronisation no longer looks idle while it is comparing change history.

  • A ⏩ icon and comparison count show activity before documents are transferred.
    • This count represents history entries, not files remaining to synchronise.

• Status counts are easier to follow, with less movement as values change.

  • CSS snippets can hide unwanted items or style individual livesync-stat- items, including inactive ones.

• We can choose stricter content checks at start-up.

  • Enable Strict content check on startup to compare file contents even when their modification times and sizes match the recorded local database state. This can increase start-up time in large Vaults.
  • The setting is disabled by default. Ordinary start-up can skip content reads when the exact modification time, file size, and recorded database revision match, with no conflicts or pending file changes.
  • While the setting is disabled, an edit which preserves its exact size and modification time can go undetected during start-up. Manual scans and explicit recovery operations remain strict.

Fixed

• Recent Vault edits remain recoverable after an interrupted local database save.
  • This includes edits whose modification times compare equal to the database copy, and pending Hidden File Sync and Customisation Sync changes.
• Manual synchronisation no longer starts before already accepted local changes finish saving to the database.
  • Settings application also waits for those saves. Failed saves stay pending and report a failure.
• Text from third-party tools is handled more robustly.
  • Characters split across Chunks no longer trigger false corruption warnings.
• Start-up integrity checks use less memory for healthy Vault files. (#1283)
• Start-up checks avoid false repair warnings for files that change during inspection. (#1283)
  • This applies when the final size matches the database and there are no conflicts.

Customisation Sync

Fixed

• Applying a multi-file customisation no longer skips files after the list is refreshed. (#1271)
• Choosing Automatic now explains a missing Hidden File Sync prerequisite instead of proceeding into a failed initialisation. (#1270)
  • Enable and initialise Hidden File Sync on this device first. The current mode is kept when the prerequisite is missing.
• Initialising a whole plug-in in Automatic mode no longer omits its selected MAIN or DATA files.

Setup tools

Fixed

• Setup URI generation can avoid shell-variable collisions and unintended use of the operating-system username. (#817, #1274)
  • Use LIVESYNC_HOST, LIVESYNC_USER, LIVESYNC_PASS, LIVESYNC_DB, and LIVESYNC_PASSPHRASE for connection and encryption values.
    • Existing scripts remain supported: the previous names are used when the corresponding prefixed value is unset or blank.

Miscellaneous

• Dependencies have been updated, including security fixes.

Acknowledgements

Thank you for your contributions!

• @rwbru, for the original Setup URI environment-variable fix (#817).
• @junkerderprovinz, for adapting that fix to the current generator while preserving compatibility with existing scripts (#1274).
• @s-qin, for reducing memory use during start-up checks and avoiding repeated content decoding in Commonlib (#1283, Commonlib #184).

1.0.40

24th October, 2026

This has turned into a slightly larger set of changes overall, but I have finally been able to implement the features I felt we would need.

Synchronisation

New Feature

• We can choose Review devices in Remote Configuration, the command palette, or a version Notice to review participating devices.
  • Our device appears first, with its lockout state. Other records show the platform, plug-in version, app version, and last recorded connection time when available.
  • An advisory Notice identifies Self-hosted LiveSync and lists newer and older versions separately, with one shared recommendation and Review devices action. The dialogue explains possible storage costs and P2P compatibility limits.
• We can forget records belonging to lost or retired devices while preserving the remote lock state and other devices.
  • Forgetting a record does not delete Vault files or revoke credentials. A returning device can register again on an unlocked remote.

Fixed

• We can reuse unchanged content more reliably after edits with the V3 Rabin–Karp chunk splitter.
  • Corrected rolling-window processing lets boundary detection recover after an insertion. Existing content remains readable, and installing this update does not trigger a full re-chunk of our Vaults.
  • Chunk-size values 0 and 1 now use content-defined binary boundaries below their maximum lengths, improving reuse after an insertion instead of producing fixed-length pieces.
  • Editing or explicitly rewriting a file, recreating its chunks, or rebuilding from our files can produce different chunk boundaries and additional chunks. Older and updated devices can retain different chunk layouts; this affects reuse and storage, not the file contents.
• We can preserve all conflict branches, including deleted branches, during Fast Setup.
  • A fresh, complete Fast Fetch can also hand its verified progress to ordinary synchronisation before file watching resumes, reducing the first subsequent identifier scan. Existing resume cursors and On Demand chunk retrieval retain their existing behaviour.

Changed

• New setup uses the same Chunk-size recommendation of 0 across remote types, and Setting Doctor no longer recommends increasing every self-hosted V3 configuration to 60.
  • Setting Doctor no longer flags the saved Enhance chunk size value. When rebuilding with V3 Rabin–Karp, we recommend setting it to 0. This is now an efficient choice across all supported remote types.
  • Existing explicit and agreed values are retained. Smaller Chunks favour reuse during editing, but increase document counts and can make first uploads and large rebuilds slower. Mostly immutable binary Vaults can still benefit from a larger explicit value.

Hidden File Sync

Fixed

• We can synchronise selected hidden files while the normal-file allow-list is set. (#1272)
  • Normal-file exclusion patterns still apply to hidden files, and the Selector descriptions now explain their scope.

CLI

• Unreadable or malformed device-local state now stops initialisation instead of being treated as empty. Existing valid state files keep their format.