---
publish: true
permalink: /sh/garden/livesync
title: Self-hosted LiveSync
created: 2026-02-05T09:58:59.620-07:00
modified: 2026-02-05T12:21:13.920-07:00
tags:
  - self_hosting
  - obsidian
  - sync
cssclasses: ""
---

Self-hosted LiveSync is a community plugin for [[20-29 HOBBYS/22 SELF HOSTING/22.11 DIGITAL GARDEN/Obsidian]] that enables real-time synchronization across devices using CouchDB or object storage.

## Features

- **Real-time sync** — Changes sync immediately
- **Conflict resolution** — Automatic merging of simple conflicts
- **End-to-end encryption** — Data encrypted before leaving device
- **Self-hosted** — Your data on your server
- **Multi-platform** — Works on all Obsidian platforms (desktop, mobile)

## Architecture

```
Device A (Obsidian) ←→ CouchDB Server ←→ Device B (Obsidian)
```

All devices sync to a central CouchDB instance. Changes propagate in real-time.

## Server Setup (CouchDB)

### Docker (Recommended)

```yaml
# docker-compose.yml
version: "3"
services:
  couchdb:
    image: couchdb:latest
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "5984:5984"
    environment:
      - COUCHDB_USER=admin
      - COUCHDB_PASSWORD=your-secure-password
    volumes:
      - ./couchdb-data:/opt/couchdb/data
```

```bash
docker-compose up -d
```

### Configure CouchDB

Access Fauxton UI at `http://server:5984/_utils`

1. Create a database for your vault (e.g., `obsidian-vault`)
2. Configure CORS if accessing from different domains

### CORS Setup

In Fauxton → Configuration → CORS:
- Enable CORS
- Set origins to `app://obsidian.md` and your domain

Or via curl:
```bash
curl -X PUT http://admin:password@localhost:5984/_node/_local/_config/httpd/enable_cors -d '"true"'
curl -X PUT http://admin:password@localhost:5984/_node/_local/_config/cors/origins -d '"app://obsidian.md"'
curl -X PUT http://admin:password@localhost:5984/_node/_local/_config/cors/credentials -d '"true"'
curl -X PUT http://admin:password@localhost:5984/_node/_local/_config/cors/methods -d '"GET, PUT, POST, HEAD, DELETE"'
curl -X PUT http://admin:password@localhost:5984/_node/_local/_config/cors/headers -d '"accept, authorization, content-type, origin, referer"'
```

## Plugin Setup

1. Install **Self-hosted LiveSync** from Obsidian Community Plugins
2. Open plugin settings
3. Configure connection:
   - URI: `https://couchdb.example.com`
   - Username: your CouchDB user
   - Password: your CouchDB password
   - Database: `obsidian-vault`
4. Set up encryption passphrase (all devices must use same passphrase)
5. Test connection
6. Enable sync

## Sync Modes

| Mode | Description |
|------|-------------|
| LiveSync | Real-time sync (uses more bandwidth) |
| Periodic | Sync at intervals |
| On file save | Sync when files change |

## Customization Sync

Sync settings, themes, plugins across devices:

Settings → Customization Sync → Enable

Select what to sync:
- Settings files
- Snippets
- Themes
- Plugins (careful with this)

## Encryption

Always enable end-to-end encryption:

1. Settings → Encryption → Enable
2. Set passphrase (same on all devices)
3. All data is encrypted before upload

## Troubleshooting

### Sync not working

```bash
# Check CouchDB is running
curl http://localhost:5984

# Check database exists
curl http://admin:password@localhost:5984/obsidian-vault
```

### Conflicts

Plugin shows conflict indicator. Open note to resolve:
- View both versions
- Choose or merge manually
- Conflicts auto-resolve if possible

### Rebuild database

If sync gets corrupted:
1. Disable sync on all devices
2. Delete database in CouchDB
3. Re-create database
4. Rebuild from primary device
5. Re-enable on other devices

## Alternatives to CouchDB

LiveSync also supports:
- MinIO (S3-compatible)
- Cloudflare R2
- AWS S3
- WebRTC (peer-to-peer, experimental)

## Resources

- GitHub: https://github.com/vrtmrz/obsidian-livesync
- Docs: https://github.com/vrtmrz/obsidian-livesync/blob/main/docs/