# Build brief — a focused alternative to Obsidian Sync

> **Verdict:** Yes, for personal use · **Buildability:** 90/100 · **Category:** Notes Knowledge
> **Source:** https://www.canitbevibecoded.com/obsidian-sync
> Independent editorial assessment from Can It Be Vibe Coded? Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or derived from Obsidian Sync. Verify current pricing and capabilities before acting.

## Context

**Obsidian Sync** — Paid sync service for a local-first Markdown knowledge base. It currently costs $5/mo.

If you already accept local Markdown files, syncing folders across devices is a solved problem; the hard part is not the app, it is conflict-free convenience.

This brief describes a focused, single-operator replacement for the part of Obsidian Sync that is genuinely reproducible. It is deliberately narrower than the product it replaces, and it says so in writing. Build the useful core; do not pretend to have rebuilt the rest.

## What you are building

Use a local Markdown folder, git/Syncthing/iCloud/Drive for sync, and optional scripts for backlinks/search.

- Capture, organise, search, link, and export personal notes.
- A responsive interface with real empty, loading, success, and error states.

## Requirements

### Functional

- Local Markdown folder.
- Syncthing, Git, iCloud, Dropbox, or similar.
- Optional mobile file access.

### Non-functional

- Accessibility: semantic markup, labelled controls, visible focus, and reduced-motion support.
- Security: server-side secrets, validated input, and no credentials in the client bundle.
- Reliability: retries with backoff on external calls, and a clear failure state when a provider is down.
- Portability: the operator can export their data and leave without losing it.

## Implementation brief

Build me a sync setup for my Obsidian vault to replace Obsidian Sync. Requirements:

- This is plumbing, not an app: the vault is a folder of Markdown files, sync it with
  git. Syncthing is the zero-history alternative; use git here because I want history.
- A small watcher (Node + chokidar + simple-git, or a plain bash script on a
  systemd/launchd timer, pick the simpler) that debounces 30 seconds after the last
  change, commits with an auto message, and pushes to a private GitHub repo.
- On start and every 5 minutes: pull with rebase. On conflict, never lose data: write
  the incoming version as <name>.conflict-YYYY-MM-DD.md, keep mine in place, and log it.
- .gitignore for .obsidian/workspace* and .trash so device-local state does not ping-
  pong between machines.
- A `vaultsync status` command showing last push/pull time and any outstanding conflict
  files.
- Mobile: point a git client (Working Copy on iOS, MGit on Android) at the same repo.
  Document that in the README, do not build mobile anything.
- The repo stays private; token in .env or the system git credential helper. No accounts
  beyond GitHub, no telemetry, notes stay plain Markdown on disk.
- Out of scope: an encrypted-vault workflow and a version-history UI. git log is the
  history.
- README: second-machine setup steps and the conflict-file convention.

## Delivery standard

- Inspect the repository first, then write a short implementation plan before writing code.
- Deliver the smallest complete end-to-end workflow first; every primary control must work against persisted data.
- Use real validation and storage; never substitute fake dashboards, decorative controls, hard-coded success states, or mock integrations.
- Include responsive layouts plus genuine empty, loading, success, validation, and failure states.
- Keep secrets server-side in environment variables, provide .env.example, and never commit credentials or user data.
- Add structured logs around every external call and return actionable errors without leaking sensitive details.
- Write unit tests for the core logic and one automated test of the main user journey.
- Finish with a README covering setup, architecture, data location, backups, tests, deployment, and known limitations.

## Acceptance criteria

- [ ] A clean install starts the app using only the README and .env.example.
- [ ] The primary journey works from first visit through saved result, reload, edit, export, and deletion where applicable.
- [ ] Invalid input, missing configuration, provider failure, and an empty database each have a usable state.
- [ ] The interface works at 390px and 1440px, is keyboard navigable, and shows visible focus on every control.
- [ ] Tests, type checking, linting, and a production build all pass with no ignored failures.
- [ ] No part of the interface implies a live integration, security guarantee, or scale capability that was not actually built and verified.

## Non-goals

Do not build these, and do not claim to have replaced them:

- Official mobile sync polish.
- Conflict handling.
- Version history UI.
- Encrypted vault workflow.
- The last 20 percent is sync, migration fidelity, speed, and edge cases.

## What you still own after launch

- Run migrations, backups, restores, and dependency updates.
- Test the critical journey after every model, API, or hosting change.
- Monitor failures and fix the edge cases a first prompt will miss.

## Risk

**Manageable.** A personal version is realistic if you test the critical journey and keep reliable backups.

Editorial confidence in this assessment: high. No independent one-shot implementation is linked yet.

## Prior art

Working open-source software you can read, fork, or borrow from before starting:

- [Syncthing](https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing) — Open-source continuous file synchronization that can replace much of Obsidian Sync for tec

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Generated by [Can It Be Vibe Coded?](https://www.canitbevibecoded.com) · Full report: https://www.canitbevibecoded.com/obsidian-sync