What’s the difference between Syncthing and Syncthing Fork? They pretty much do the same thing.
In the Syncthing Fork (1.4.2), there’s a Status tab in addition to Folder and Device tabs in the main page, while in the Syncthing (1.5.0) the Status tab is missing. Why?
Looks like the 1.5.0 is for Android. Right?
In 1.5.0, there is a Go to Forum option while in the Fork, there’s none. Right?
How do I find my Device ID?
Should I put the Device IDs in all my devices?
Thanks. Ben
I guess you are talking about syncthing-android (https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing-android) and @Catfriend1’s fork of that (https://github.com/Catfriend1/syncthing-android). Both are android wrappers running syncthing itself (no difference between the two there). Syncthing-android is essentially in maintenance mode - it still works, but not many changes happening. The fork is faster paced with added features etc.
Also worth mentioning that the fork has no oversight from us in terms of trust in the code or the quality of it.
Not saying that @Catfriend1 is a bad person, but it’s simply not part of our “organization”, so you should not expect us to be responsible in any way.
Hi @benashna
You can pull the drawer menu on the left side and click on the menu item “show device id”. The fork has no forum link as I decided back in 2018 to deal with the issues on github. This was because I didn’t know if its welcomed or not if people discuss or seek help at the forum whilst confusion which app is referred two might arise. Just wanted to take little small steps.
I’ll appreciate to know what I get from Fork over the regular Syncthing. I have found no features in the Fork that I have not seen in the other one, except the Status tab. But, what does the Status tab provide to the user that is not indirectly found in the regular Syncthing?
One big advantage of the Fork is that it is possible to start and stop syncing even if conditions are not fulfilled, e.g. when needed, you can force synchronisation on battery, even if the application itself is set to run only on charge. In the official application, you need to modify the actual settings back and forth every time you want to do that.
In the regular Syncthing, under Settings, you can select wi-fi, battery, and wifi-metered. So, there’s no going back and forth as you have claimed.
Yours, Ben
Yes, but the problem is when you want to run Syncthing on battery only once, sync what you need to sync, and then stop again. This can be done easily and quickly with the buttons in the Status tab.
However, if you do not need this kind of extra functionality, then of course there is nothing wrong with sticking to the official Syncthing application.
I’m a minimalist; I don’t like to have apps on my phone that I don’t need too much. However, in this case, I will have both official and Fork versions, because of the former getting me to the forum, and the latter for the Status tab.
But, why not automatically sync using the official app for every change (which is once, before another change) enabled on battery or charge, so not needing the manual syncing with Status tab in Fork!?
In my eyes syncthing-fork behaves like a virus.
I installed both syncthing and syncthing-fork on my android phone.
I have also installed AFWall+ and disabled (but logged) all network access for a test. I disabled NAT traversal and global discovery!
Here is my result:
While the original syncthing is only accessing my local network (what it should do) the syncthing-fork tried to reach a lot of unknown destinations in the internet (which it should not do). I can’t trust this app - I think it might be dangerous.
Maybe it transfers all my data to a place I don’t want it to be…
Here are some destinations it tried to reach:
Update
I compared it in a wrong way:
In syncthing the relay was disabled and in syncthing-fork the relay was enabled.
As soon as I disabled the relay server option syncthing-fork stopped to contact servers in the internet.
Most of the addresses in your list are relays. Relaying is enabled by default and if so, syncthing will query and connect to some relays in order to have them available for connections, if needed. Connections over relays are encrypted in the same way as normal direct connections.
Thank you. It was the relay option.
I wish you @michael.hutter and people in general would first ask questions, before jumping to conclusions and accusing others of wrongdoing (completely unsubstantially). Not to mention the accused are the same people, that put voluntary time into the same thing you are using for free and complaining about.
Thinking > Asking > Blaming.
I have issues with Syncthing and author of the fork contacted me by private messaging and offered his fork crap. I installed it and seen it was having entry of my DCIM folder which is already set in original Syncthing. I felt it as scam and deleted the DCIM sync in fork and this broke my original Syncthing setup.
I did not authorized author and his fork to add my folders without my permission.
Attention users, be warned when thinking about installing the fork.
The fork is a valid alternative and not a scam. The app adds the folder as a conveniance feature. Removing it probably deleted the folder marker.
Sorry , I’d liked to help but got a PM saying “unofficial junk” to the fork so my motivation dropped at this point. Also one star on gplay with a note everyone “should not install it”. I am a little bit disappointed 
.
Just for the record, the behaviour described here is essentially the same across Syncthing on all different platforms. For example, on the desktop, Syncthing starts with the default folder Sync. If you run multiple instances of Syncthing and then remove the Sync folder in one of them, it will also remove .stfolder inside it and thus cause the folder to stop in other Syncthing instances as well.
When it comes to Android, there is no Sync folder by default, but Camera/DCIM essentially plays its role, and running Syncthing-Android and Syncthing-Fork at the same time is similar to running multiple Syncthing instances on the desktop.
Everyone is responsible for himself!!!
The software is very well documented and the basic functionality of the fork does not differ from the original. The special features and additional features are just as well documented, so that everyone who can read is prepared in advance, if want to doe.
There are many superior APP’s on Github and this is one of them. So before the author rants and behaves in this manner about a software, he should keep in mind that this software is free, costs nothing and is also advised that using the software is at your own risk.
In this respect something can always go wrong. But my motto is, who has no backup, gets no sympathy, from no one.
In the forum we are constructive and bring each other forward. Stupid comments help no one and bring no one forward.