Sync.js - Upload changed local files to remote server

sync.js let's you keep your remote files in sync with your local copy. Whenever you make a change on your local project, sync.js uploads the changed files to remote server using scp command.

When configured correctly, it works really fast because sync.js leverages openSSH master connection settings. That means instead of creating new connections for each upload, sync.js keeps one connection open and uses it for all uploads.

Why did I do this? Aren't there already tools doing the same exact thing?

Yes there are. However, none of them fulfills my needs. I use Sublime Text 2 and occasionally VIM. ST2 has SFTP plugin but it doesn't have ST3 support yet, also it doesn't upload files when they changed via other editors.

I tried unison but it kills the CPU and syncs remote to local too. Configuration was too complex and it was not really customizable. As soon as I started unison it filled my computer with all the compressed scripts and tmp files from the server.

Other options were mostly either not working or doing so many other things that I don't need. I only want to upload files to remote server when they are changed. That's it.

Features

• Fast and reliable change detection
• Very light weight, doesn't use excessive CPU power
• Internal command line to control the script while it's working
• Doesn't depend on any editor, so you can use it with any application
• It's very simplistic and customizable, you can alter the script however you like
• Colorful and interactive output.
• And many more

Installation

Just clone this repository anywhere on your computer

git clone git@github.com:serkanyersen/sync.git

Go inside sync folder and install dependencies

cd sync
npm install

Create a config file using the example file

cp config_example.json config.json

The config file is very self explanatory, just open it and add your own information

{
    "host": "username@ssh.yourhost.com",
    "interval_duration": 1.5,
    "local_path": "/path/to/local/folder",
    "remote_path": "/path/to/remote/folder"
}

To leverage the openSSH master connection feature, just open ~/.ssh/config file and put the following in it (unless you don't have it already):

Host *
    ControlMaster auto
    ControlPath ~/.ssh/master-%r@%h:%p

Now you are ready to go, start the script by calling sync.js with either ./sync.js or nodejs sync.js

That's it.

Bonus

If you are on OSX and using iTerm or any other terminal other than the default Terminal.app, you can install TotalTerminal formerly known as Visor and start sync.js from it. And if you add this line to config.json

"visorSupport": true

sync.js will pop visor terminal on the screen for a second and hide it again, so that you'll understand script is currently uploading your change.

It works better when you place the visor at the bottom of the screen and reduce the row count.

License

MIT, Go Crazy