Any deleted folder/file[s] within a synchronized [master] folder gets un-deleted/restored again.
For example I have a folder called “Documents”. on my laptop and the same on my main desktop/workstation. These folders are synced. The issue is, when I delete files respectively folders I no longer need they get re-created again by the other system and vice versa as there they are still present.
Example:
in the folder “Documents” is a file named say “file one draft.docx” or a folder named “temp edits”.
From the various syncing software I have tried –the last one I had subscribed to for years (sync.com) but had to give up due to various reliability issues with them– this did not happen. If I deleted a file or folder the other one got accordingly updated and also had the same file or folder removed.
There is of course a 30 day history preserved (like your recycle bin locally would do) and they offered respectively you could upgrade the subscription for one year history retention. Even my backup (back blaze) has this retention built-in and does not re-create something I had deleted but in a previous backup version is still present!
So now with syncthing it is illogical to me that all would automatically re-create it again! This applies to any folder or file. The whole point is if I want to delete something on a computer, it’s a conscious and deliberate act and gone (although still available in the recycle bin if needed) and syncthing should not just persistently and ignorantly re-create it! This eventually creates chaos.
Imagine you have a computer, delete stuff you don’t need any more and because its synced it constantly re-creates all, defeating the purpose of deletion!
The way I understand synchronization and experienced it over the years is, that everything that is present is synchronized and if I remove/delete something (the opposite of creating) the synchronization software should be responding accordingly do otherwise and re-created it! Most if not all other respectively the previous other apps used used do that. Except apparently Syncthing.
I did a simple side by side test viewing on their respective screens that particular folder/file and deleting it but no matter on which of the two machines and vice versa I deleted the file or folder it reappeared again within a few minutes!
The pattern is; whatever is being deleted, shortly thereafter it’s added back again! I’m tempted to sarcastically say it’s good that it does not do that with newly created files or folders, created on one system but not yet existing on another…!!!