livesync requires Admin CouchDB user?

[xtiansimon]

I already have a running Debian project server, so I decided to install CouchDB manually. Following steps in this process, it seemed reasonable to crate a non-Admin user for CouchDB.

Meanwhile, back in livesync, I can connect with a non-Admin, but I'm unable to Validate. Nothing was syncing. After I changed to the Admin, Validation passed. Ok. I thought I might be able to change back to non-Admin after Validation, but now the credentials are non-editable.

livesync requires Admin CouchDB user?
(EDIT: To be clear, I'm primarily looking for Yes/No confirmation; In my experience it was required. But if for some reason it's not required, and I just did something wrong, then a brief explanation of the circumstance where not required would be great).

[pastacolsugo]

Hello, currently following the same path and I have the same question!

I have noticed the plugin sends a DELETE request that fails w/ 401 Unauthorized (the user is not admin).
In the console I get:

👈🏼 console contents

prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:47->OneShot Sync begin... (sync)
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:47->Database closed for reset Database.
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:47->Opening Database...
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:47->Database is now ready.
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:47->Local Database Reset
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->Database closed (by close)
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->[ModuleLocalDatabaseObsidian]  Waiting for ready...
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->Opening Database...
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->Database is now ready.
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->Initializing
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->[ModuleInitializerFile]  Initialize and checking database files
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->[ModuleInitializerFile]  Checking deleted files
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->[ModuleInitializerFile]  Synchronising...
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->[ModuleInitializerFile]  UPDATE DATABASE
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->[ModuleInitializerFile]  UPDATE STORAGE: Nothing to do
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->[ModuleInitializerFile]  SYNC DATABASE AND STORAGE: Nothing to do
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->Chunks saved (with fixed): doc: Welcome.md ,chunks: 3 (new:3, recycled:0, cached:0)
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->[ModuleDatabaseFileAccess]  STORAGE -> DB (plain) Welcome.md
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->UPDATE DATABASE: DONE:1, FAILED:0, LAST:0
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->[ModuleInitializerFile]  Initialized, NOW TRACKING!
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->Initialize done!
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->UPDATE DATABASE All done: DONE:1, FAILED:0
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->Lock remote database to prevent data corruption
     
       DELETE https://<mydomain>/<mysubdomain>/<mydb> 401 (Unauthorized)
fetch @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
ourFetch @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
fetchJSON @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
HttpPouch.api._destroy @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
destroyDb @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
eval @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
eval @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
eval @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
eval @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
tryResetRemoteDatabase @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
await in tryResetRemoteDatabase
$$tryResetRemoteDatabase @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
rebuildEverything @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
await in rebuildEverything
$rebuildEverything @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
setupWizard @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
await in setupWizard
command_openSetupURI @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
await in command_openSetupURI
eval @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
fireAndForget @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
eval @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
eval @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
onEvent @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
emitEvent @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
eval @ plugin:obsidian-livesync:6
(anonymous) @ app.js:1
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->Something happened on Remote Database Destroy:
prova-f3077eee770358d1:10/02/2025, 22:20:48->{
  "error": "unauthorized",
  "reason": "You are not a server admin.",
  "status": 401,
  "name": "unauthorized",
  "message": "You are not a server admin.",
  "stack": "Error\n    at generateErrorFromResponse (plugin:obsidian-livesync:6:1373515)\n    at fetchJSON (plugin:obsidian-livesync:6:1523091)\n    at async HttpPouch.api._destroy (plugin:obsidian-livesync:6:1536292)"
}

Which looks like it's trying to delete the db, just after saying it's locking it to prevent data corruption.
For context, I set up CouchDB and I selected Initialize new server data.

Does livesync require the user to be server admin?
If it does, which it seems to be the case, why?

Hoping this conversation can lead to improving this nice piece of FOSS,
Thanks!

PS: the documentation for self hosting is quite not up to date, once I get my setup to run correctly I'd like to update it.

[bsod-haunted]

Hi,
same question here, but I suspect the answer is yes and no.
It looks like the basic syncing works for me without an admin user, but some features clearly do not (Database configuration check).
However, I'm worried i run into issues further down the line with this setup.

I'm trying to migrate from Joplin to Obsidian, so I set up a container with manual couchdb install and tried to follow the documentation to set everything up.
But as @pastacolsugo mentioned, the documentation for manual installation without Docker is quiet outdated.
There was an issue configuring the DB, which was solved thanks to qvipin who posted some information here: #570

It would be great, if there are two modes you can switch between.
A mode where you use an admin account which can do everything, and a non-privileged mode where only features that do not require a server admin are enabled (and shown).
I think this should be documented as a feature request / issue with the tag "enhancement".

Once this is sorted out I to can offer to update the documentation.

Thanks for the hard work on this plugin!
Cheers!

[pastacolsugo]

Hi @bsod-haunted, I agree!

@vrtmrz do you have any updates on this? Your input would be quite valuable

Cheers

[vrtmrz]

I am so sorry for missing this!

As it turns out, we do not necessarily need it now.
Originally, administrative privileges were required to rebuild the database—i.e., to destroy and create it. This is still the most reliable and efficient method for reducing storage usage.

However, since v0.24.8, we can remove unreferenced chunks. (This feature requires enabling Compute revisions for chunks). This allows for some reduction without rebuilding. Nevertheless, CouchDB also stores and synchronises the deleted information, so that complete deletion is not possible. (Deleted revisions are only preserved as tombstone after compaction).

If you try to trigger a compaction manually, this also requires administrative privilege. As a result, we will need to configure automatic compaction in CouchDB.
this document may be helpful.

It will also no longer be possible to do server configuration from within Self-hosted LiveSync, as the configuration change API cannot be called without the privilege. And, if the data structure is unavoidably changed (even though our best effort basically prevents it), a rebuild may be necessary, as when an unmatched configuration is found.

Otherwise, it should no longer be necessary in the range of stable normal use. However, without administrative privileges, we might find it very difficult when problems arise.