Unison
Bidirectional file synchronisation tool for Linux, macOS, and Windows
Overview
Unison is a mature bidirectional file synchroniser that detects and reconciles changes made on both ends of a sync pair, even when offline. It uses an rsync-like algorithm for efficient delta transfers over SSH or direct socket connections and handles conflicts by prompting the user. Available as both a CLI and a GTK GUI, it supports multiple sync profiles and incremental state tracking.
Where it falls short of Dropbox
- No web UI; requires CLI or basic GTK client, not suitable for non-technical users
- No mobile clients for iOS or Android
- Conflict resolution is interactive and not automated; requires user intervention
- No file versioning or history; deleted files cannot be recovered from the tool itself
We list the gaps honestly so you can decide if the trade-off is worth owning your data.
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