Keep nearby devices in sync — no internet required
This feature is in active development and will ship with buoyient 2.0
buoyient already handles offline-first sync between each device and your server. But what happens when multiple devices are in the same room and the internet goes down?
Today, each device queues changes locally and waits for the server. Nearby devices can’t share data until the internet comes back.
Local device network sync discovers nearby devices running the same app and synchronizes data directly over the local network — Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or peer-to-peer.
When internet returns, all devices reconcile with the server as usual — no data loss, no conflicts between local-synced changes.
Local device sync plugs into the existing buoyient architecture. The same pending queue, placeholder resolution, and conflict resolution you already use — now with a peer-to-peer transport layer.
Devices running your app automatically discover each other on the local network. No manual pairing, no QR codes, no configuration.
Only the services you opt in will sync locally. Sensitive data can remain device-only until the server is reachable. Per-service encryption is respected.
The same 3-way merge and RebaseHandler you already use for server conflicts handles local device conflicts too. One conflict resolution strategy across all sync paths.
When the internet comes back, locally-synced changes are reconciled with the server. Placeholder resolution works the same way — objects created offline still get their server IDs at sync time.
Anywhere multiple devices need to stay coordinated without relying on the cloud.
Warehouse workers, field inspectors, and delivery crews sharing real-time updates in areas with poor or no connectivity.
Multiple registers and tablets in a store that need to share inventory and order data even during an internet outage.
Ticketing, check-in, and staff coordination at events where cellular networks are overloaded.
Clinics and mobile care teams sharing patient records between devices in low-connectivity environments.
Local sync will support multiple transport layers depending on your platform and use case.
Local device sync is under active development. Star the repo to stay updated.
The design plan tracks the latest architecture decisions, open questions, and scope for this feature.