Data Synchronization

or as I dont like to call it

the set reconciliation problem

Core Data vs Server Database

1 Server + Multiple Clients

Requirements
Handle multiple clients: iOS, Web, Desktop... Reduce trafc faster sync mobile trafc is expensive AND extra slow only transfer stuff you have to transfer Reduce the number of requests making multiple requests has a signicant overhead

PER-ITEM SYNC
Client Model
... your stuff ... UUID created modied last_sync is_deleted

Server Model
... your stuff ... UUID created modied is_deleted

metadata

If you need to merge, use per-attribute modication date

Creating GUIDs
CFUUIDRef uuid = CFUUIDCreate(kCFAllocatorDefault); CFUUIDCreateString(kCFAllocatorDefault,uuid);

Probability of Clash
n = 70,368,744,177,664 = 246 => 0.0000000004 (4 1010)
annual risk of being hit by a meteorite (est.) = 0.00000000006 (6 1011)

Step 0: Preparation
Request object metadata from server Request only after earliest last_sync Sort it into: Objects only in client Objects only in server Objects in client & server

Step 1: Objects Only in Client

if !o.is_deleted send o to server else delete o from client

UPDATE CLIENT.O.LAST_SYNC

Step 2: Objects Only in Server

if !o.is_deleted copy o to client

UPDATE CLIENT.O.LAST_SYNC

Step 3: Objects in Client & Server

if client.o.modified > server.o.modified { if client.o.is_deleted { server.o.is_deleted = YES delete o from client } else send client.o to server }

UPDATE CLIENT.O.LAST_SYNC

if client.o.modified < server.o.modified { if server.o.is_deleted delete o from client else copy server.o to client } if client.o.modified == server.o.modified

UPDATE CLIENT.O.LAST_SYNC

 our conict resolution strategy is based on always choosing the last modied we could use last_sync to detect conicts present conicts to user? user per-attribute modied date to resolve automatically?