Kwila Sync

A backend for local-first Kwila apps.

What is a local-first Kwila app?

As opposed to many apps that require an internet connection to operate, most Kwila apps are "local-first" in that they do not require an internet connection to operate. All the app operations run locally, and "cloud sync" is a bonus feature for syncing data between devices and users. Kwila Sync is our platform for enabling this "cloud sync" feature.

Please read the original essay from Ink & Switch for a much more in-depth overview of local-first software.

Main Features

• Sync data between devices and users
• App-agnostic authentication
• Manage which apps and features a customer has access to

Goals

• Avoid building a separate backend for every Kwila app.
• Embrace open-source technologies and formats.
• Low-cost and low-maintenance hosting.

Inspiration

Kwila Sync is a combination of previous ideas on other Kwila projects:

• Karriba infrastructure specification
  • Kwila Sync inherits many of the infrastructure design decisions from this old Karriba spec.
• Karriba backend specification
  • The basic Karriba backend design and implementation is the foundation of the Kwila Sync codebase.
• Karriba cloud sync specification
  • The initial use case for Kwila Sync is to operate as the backend for Karriba cloud sync.
• Simple Sync documentation
  • Kwila Sync's event system is inspired by the experiments from Simple Sync.