Pilaton/MacSync — 42 Stars

Topics

#automation #backup #cli #cloud #configuration #dotfiles #dropbox #homebrew #macos #productivity #shell #symlinks #sync #synchronization #zsh #zshrc

Language breakdown

Shell 100.0%

▸ Files click to expand

README

Easy sync for macOS. Dotfiles, folders, configs — anything.

Sync files and folders across Macs using Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, Yandex.Disk, NAS, or any folder that syncs between devices.

MacSync moves files to a sync folder and creates symlinks in their place. Edit on one Mac — changes appear on all others. Works with dotfiles, app configs, scripts, projects — anything.

Quick Start

1. Install

brew install pilaton/tap/macsync

Manual installation

git clone https://github.com/Pilaton/MacSync.git ~/.macsync-app
ln -s ~/.macsync-app/bin/macsync /usr/local/bin/macsync

2. Configure — edit ~/.macsync/config.cfg (created on first run):

# Where to store synced files (must be accessible from all your Macs)
SYNC_FOLDER=~/Dropbox/MacSync
What to sync (paths relative to ~)
BACKUP_FILES=(
  .zshrc
  .gitconfig
  .config/nvim
  .ssh/config
)

3. Run

macsync

That's it. Your files are now in the sync folder, symlinked locally.

Sync Modes

flowchart TD
    A["$ macsync"] --> B{"What do we do?"}
    B --> C["Synchronize my files"]
    B --> D["Disable sync"]
    
    C --> E{"dotfiles/ folder exists?"}
    E -->|No| F["First sync"]
    E -->|Yes| G{"Choose mode"}
    
    G --> H["Replace all files"]
    G --> I["Update obsolete files"]
    G --> J["Connect only"]
    
    D --> K["Restore files locally"]

Connection options (when dotfiles/ folder exists):

Disabling Sync

Select "Disable sync" in the menu. MacSync will:

Copy files back from sync folder to their original locations
Remove symlinks
Files in sync folder remain unchanged

CLI Reference

macsync                              # Interactive mode
macsync --dry-run                    # Preview without changes
macsync --sync-folder ~/path         # Override sync folder
macsync --files ".zshrc,.gitconfig"  # Override file list
macsync --verbose                    # Detailed output
macsync --quiet                      # Minimal output
macsync --help                       # Show help

How It Works

~/.zshrc (symlink) → ~/Dropbox/MacSync/dotfiles/.zshrc (real file)

Backup — original files saved to Backupdefaultconfig/<device><date>_<timestamp>/
Move — files relocated to <SYNC_FOLDER>/dotfiles/
Link — symlinks created at original paths

Your sync service keeps the dotfiles/ folder updated across devices.

Folder structure:

📂 SYNC_FOLDER
├── 📂 Backupdefault_config
│   └── 📂 iMac01-12-20251733011200
│   │   ├── _config.cfg
│   │   ├── .gitconfig
│   │   ├── .otherconfig
│   │   └── .zshrc
│   │
│   └── 📂 MacBook04-01-20261735948800
│       ├── 📂 .oh-my-zsh
│       │   └── 📂 custom
│       ├── 📂 Sites
│       │   └── 📂 My-site
│       ├── _config.cfg
│       ├── .gitconfig
│       ├── .npmrc
│       └── .zshrc
│
└── 📂 dotfiles
    ├── 📂 .oh-my-zsh
    │   └── 📂 custom
    ├── 📂 Sites
    │   └── 📂 My-site
    ├── .gitconfig
    ├── .otherconfig
    ├── .npmrc
    └── .zshrc

Backupdefault_config/ — backups of original files (created before each sync)
dotfiles/ — synced files, symlinked on all connected Macs

Security Considerations

Sensitive files: Avoid syncing private keys (.ssh/idrsa, .ssh/ided25519) or files with passwords. Use .ssh/config with caution.
Cloud encryption: Ensure your cloud service encrypts data at rest and in transit.
Permissions: MacSync preserves file permissions, but verify them after syncing sensitive files.
Backup location: Backups are stored in your sync folder and will be synced across devices.