NSync

approved

by Prasit Singzom

Sync your vault across desktop and mobile through your own Google Drive (appDataFolder). - This plugin has not been manually reviewed by Obsidian staff.

↓ 31 downloadsUpdated 1d agoMIT
Install in ObsidianView on GitHub

NSync

Sync your Obsidian vaults across desktop and mobile through your own Google Drive. One plugin for desktop and mobile (iOS, Android). No server, no third-party sync service, and no one else's app in the middle: you sign in with your own Google Cloud OAuth client.

⚠️ Early software. Back up your vault before the first sync. NSync moves and deletes files to keep devices in step. It has safety checks, but a backup is the only real undo.

Features

  • πŸ” Two-way sync between any number of devices
  • πŸ—‚οΈ Many vaults, one Google account. Each vault is kept separate on Drive
  • πŸ” Your own OAuth client. Nothing goes through the plugin author
  • 🧩 Conflict copies. Editing the same note on two devices keeps both versions
  • πŸͺ¦ Deletes stay deleted, even on a device that joins later
  • βœ… Review before the first sync. See every upload, download and delete before anything is written, with a warning if the vault name doesn't match your other devices
  • πŸ›‘ Safety stop. A sync that would delete most of a vault is refused
  • ⏱️ Auto-sync every 60 s plus a manual sync button, with live progress
  • πŸ‘€ Show files on Google Drive. Browse what's stored, since Drive's own UI can't
  • πŸ“΅ Mobile-aware. Skips files over 50 MB on phones

How it works

Files are stored in your Google Drive's hidden appDataFolder, which only the OAuth client that created it can read. NSync asks for the narrow drive.appdata scope and cannot see any of your other Drive files.

Each sync compares three states per file: this device, Google Drive, and the last successful sync. From that it decides to upload, download, delete, or keep both copies on a conflict.

Network use

NSync connects to:

  • accounts.google.com, oauth2.googleapis.com to sign in
  • www.googleapis.com for the Google Drive API
  • nesprasit.github.io/nsync/callback.html, mobile sign-in only. It's a static page that hands Google's sign-in code back to Obsidian. It stores nothing, and the code is useless without a secret that never leaves your device. You can host your own copy (callback.html) and set its URL in settings.

No analytics or telemetry.

Setup

You need a Google Cloud OAuth client of your own. It's free and takes about 10 minutes, once. Every device and vault can then reuse it.

1. Google Cloud setup

  1. Open the Google Cloud Console and create a project (any name).
  2. APIs & Services β†’ Library β†’ search Google Drive API β†’ Enable.
  3. Open Google Auth Platform (called OAuth consent screen in some accounts).
    • Branding: app name (e.g. NSync), your support email, your developer contact email.
      • Home page: https://nesprasit.github.io/nsync/
      • Privacy policy: https://nesprasit.github.io/nsync/privacy.html (or your own pages if you host the bridge yourself).
    • Audience: User type External, then Publish app. If you stay in Testing instead, add your Google account under Test users, but sign-in will expire every 7 days.
    • Data access: Add or remove scopes β†’ add https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.appdata.
  4. Clients β†’ Create client
    • Application type: Web application. (Other types can't register both redirect URIs below.)
    • Authorised redirect URIs, add both:
      • http://127.0.0.1:42813
      • https://nesprasit.github.io/nsync/callback.html
    • Create, then copy the Client ID and Client secret, or download the JSON.

⏳ Changes to redirect URIs can take a few minutes to a few hours to apply. redirect_uri_mismatch right after setup usually just means "wait".

2. Install the plugin

Pick one. BRAT is easiest, especially on a phone, and keeps NSync up to date.

Option A: BRAT (desktop and mobile, recommended)

BRAT installs plugins straight from their GitHub releases. Do this in each vault where you want NSync:

  1. Settings β†’ Community plugins β†’ turn on community plugins if asked β†’ Browse β†’ search BRAT β†’ Install β†’ Enable.
  2. Open BRAT's settings β†’ Add beta plugin.
  3. Enter the repository nesprasit/nsync, keep Latest version, tick Enable after installing the plugin, then Add plugin.
  4. NSync now appears under Community plugins and in the settings sidebar.

Updates: BRAT can check for new releases when Obsidian starts (turn on its auto-update option), or run BRAT: Check for updates to all beta plugins from the command palette. Updating only replaces the plugin files; your NSync settings and sign-in are kept.

Option B: Manual install

  1. Download main.js, manifest.json and styles.css from the latest release.
  2. Put them in <your vault>/.obsidian/plugins/nsync/ (create the folder; .obsidian is hidden, so on macOS press Cmd+Shift+. in Finder to see it).
  3. Settings β†’ Community plugins β†’ enable NSync.

On iPhone/iPad the Files app can't open the hidden .obsidian folder, so use BRAT there.

Once NSync is listed in Obsidian's community plugin browser, you can install it there instead and let Obsidian handle updates.

3. Connect

  1. Settings β†’ NSync β†’ Your Google sign-in app: paste your Client ID and Client secret, or paste the whole downloaded JSON into the Client ID field. Then Save. The credentials are remembered on this device for your other vaults.
  2. Sign in with Google. Because the app is yours and unverified, Google shows "Google hasn't verified this app": choose Advanced β†’ Go to (your app name) β†’ Continue.
  3. Right after sign-in, NSync shows a first-sync review: what will be uploaded, downloaded and deleted. Check it, then press Start sync. Nothing is written before that. After that, sync with πŸ”„ in the ribbon or by clicking NSync in the status bar.

On a phone, Sign in opens a small window. Tap Open Google sign-in. After you allow access, Safari/Chrome sends you back to Obsidian.

4. More devices and vaults

  • Set up the first device and sync it before adding more, so Google Drive already has your notes when the next device joins.
  • Install NSync in the same vault on the other device (BRAT is easiest on a phone), enter the same OAuth client, and sign in with the same Google account. Copying the Client ID and secret on your computer and pasting on the phone (e.g. Apple's Universal Clipboard) saves typing.
  • Devices pair up by Vault name on Google Drive (settings). It defaults to the vault folder name. Make it identical on every device for the same vault. On a new device, the easiest way is Choose from Google Drive: it lists the vaults already on Drive, and picking one starts the first-sync review, which downloads its notes once you confirm. This works on phones too: create an empty vault, install NSync, sign in, then choose the vault.
  • Each vault signs in separately, but one Google account can hold many vaults.

Usage

Sync nowribbon πŸ”„, command NSync: Sync now, or click the status bar
Status (desktop)status bar cloud: green = synced, spinning = syncing, red = failed
Browse Drivecommand NSync: Show files on Google Drive
Auto-syncon by default, every 60 s while Obsidian is open (settings)

On mobile, Obsidian only runs plugins while the app is open, so syncing happens when you open the app and when you press sync. There's no background sync.

Privacy & security

  • Your notes go straight between your device and your Google Drive. Nothing passes through the plugin author.
  • OAuth tokens and your client secret are stored only in this vault's plugin data on this device. NSync never uploads them.
  • Files in appDataFolder are not end-to-end encrypted. Google can read them, as with any Drive file.
  • To remove everything: revoke access at myaccount.google.com/permissions, or Drive β†’ Settings β†’ Manage apps β†’ your app β†’ Delete hidden app data.

Limitations

  • No real-time push. Changes arrive on the next sync (default 60 s).
  • .obsidian settings, themes and plugins are not synced.
  • No end-to-end encryption yet.

Development

npm install
npm run dev        # esbuild watch
npm run build      # typecheck + production bundle (main.js)
npm test           # unit tests (node --test + tsx)
npm run lint       # the same ESLint rules Obsidian's plugin review runs

src/
β”œβ”€β”€ main.ts              plugin entry, sync scheduling, auth glue
β”œβ”€β”€ settings.ts          settings tab
β”œβ”€β”€ auth/                OAuth client, PKCE, desktop loopback + mobile bridge flows
β”œβ”€β”€ drive/driveClient.ts Google Drive REST (appDataFolder)
β”œβ”€β”€ sync/                reconcile (pure), engine, namespaces, tombstones, progress
└── ui/                  status bar, modals

Design notes: CONTEXT.md and docs/adr/.

License

MIT

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