Self-Hosted Sync Overview

Run your own sync server to keep your data in sync across devices. The server is lightweight and easy to set up with Docker.

How It Works

The server stores your data in a single ascently.json file and images in a directory. It’s simple: last write wins. Authentication is a static bearer token you set.

Features

Delta sync: Only syncs changed data
Image sync: Automatically syncs problem images
Conflict resolution: Last-write-wins based on timestamps
Cross-platform: Works with iOS and Android clients
Privacy: Your data, your server, no analytics

API Endpoints

GET /health - Health check
GET /sync - Download full dataset
POST /sync - Upload full dataset
POST /sync/delta - Sync only changes (recommended)
POST /images/upload?filename={name} - Upload image
GET /images/download?filename={name} - Download image

All endpoints require Authorization: Bearer <your-token> header.

See the API Reference for complete documentation.

Getting Started

Check out the Quick Start guide to get your server running with Docker Compose.

You’ll need:

Docker and Docker Compose
A secure authentication token
A place to store your data

The server will be available at http://localhost:8080 by default. Configure your Ascently apps with your server URL and auth token to start syncing.

How Sync Works

First sync: Client uploads or downloads full dataset
Subsequent syncs: Client uses delta sync to only transfer changed data
Conflicts: Resolved automatically using timestamps (newer wins)
Images: Synced automatically with problem data

Active sessions are excluded from sync until completed.