Open Source @lemmy.ml DebianGuy @lemmy.ml 1w ago

Discontinuing syncthing-android

forum.syncthing.net Discontinuing syncthing-android

Unfortunately I don’t have good news on the state of the android app: I am retiring it. The last release on Github and F-Droid will happen with the December 2024 Syncthing version. Reason is a combination of Google making Play publishing something between hard and impossible and no active maintenan...

Reason is a combination of Google making Play publishing something between hard and impossible and no active maintenance. The app saw no significant development for a long time and without Play releases I do no longer see enough benefit and/or have enough motivation to keep up the ongoing maintenance an app requires even without doing much, if any, changes.

Sad to see it go. There is a fork but seems not so great considering they are looking for active maintainer. Still better than nothing. Need to check it out as it has some enhancements.

Planning to close my Google Play Developer Account. Please say hi if you are interested in obtaining the latest gplay release files from me to help in publishing this app

39 comments

I've been using the fdroid syncthing-fork version for a long time now and haven't had any issues at all... Doesn't mean it'll last forever but it's been getting the job done for me even in its current state.

... And can't remember my original reason to use the fork instead lol
- Battery management
  
  Yes, the core version was unusable because of the battery drain
- I was not even aware of this fork let alone a long timeline of existence. I am adding this onto my weekend project list. Thanks for the recommendation.
  
  I switched to the fork as soon as I read this news. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes:
  
  Just install it in parallel with the mainline app,
  
  export your existing configuration to the default storage location,
  
  import it in syncthing-fork (it'll detect the export file automatically),
  
  and you're done. Uninstall the official app so they don't compete for the daemon and port.
  
  Sadly it's unusable on Android 15. All of the interactable functions are crammed up into the status bar and cannot be touched.
- Let's hope that it doesn't rely on the official release
- OK, I switched to that one now, thanks for pointing it out and explaining it.
Syncing with my phone was my main use for syncthing. :(
- Aww, too bad
  
  I see a comment inbox but can't see here. I'm pasting it here
  
  I switched to the fork as soon as I read this news. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes:
  Just install it in parallel with the mainline app,
  export your existing configuration to the default storage location, import it in syncthing-fork (it'll detect the export file automatically),
  and you're done. Uninstall the official app so they don't compete for the daemon and port.
  
  On f-droid the fork seems to be behind the original, but I expect I will if it continues updating.
- Syncing with my phone ~~was~~ is my main use for syncthing. :( :)
  
  We shall persevere! It doesn't seem like it's really needed any updates anyway...
  
  Only updates it should need are for weird changes Google decides to make to Android.
  
  Hell, at this point if someone forked the fork, and charged a small fee for the Relay Server hosting, I'd happily pay.
Just as I start using it bruh
- Daamn same here, literally just found it the other day and it's been working great
Syncthing is such a wonderful project. RIP. But for us already being spoiled by syncthing, it might be a good time to self host services to handle, sync and serve our own data like photos, contacts and more.
- This is just about the android app version. The desktop version still works and continues to live.
Damn this is some rough news... as other commenters have said though can't blame the guy. I'll cross my fingers for some random "Sinkboi for Syncthing" or something dumb like that to pop up down the road.
I've let my google developer account expire quite a while ago after they kept asking for more and more stupid stuff. Nowadays if you don't get paid a lot for it you must be either a masochist or a bit stupid if you upload to google play.
I installed from fdroid, I expect it to be still available as far as it will work...

And I guess somebody will build and keep publishing it just not on google play, which is anyway a cesspool nowadays, so no big deal.
- Apparently publishing malware and the likes is quite easy, but publishing well-established foss software isn't.
  
  one has micro transactions that googles gets to skim from and the other doesn't.
the fork version works fine. if that dies, i'm hopeful some new fork will emerge. syncthing is well known and used by many, so i think as long as the original software is alive, there'll be a way to use it on your phone. heck, there's ways to run syncthing on a pocketbook e-reader, lol
Anyone have any good readings or discussions on what Google Play policies are being cited here as the major obstacle? Just curious to learn more.

Edit: 20 testers policy? Sounds onerous.

39 comments