External Storage Sync

Para can automatically synchronize all your content to external storage, creating a readable backup of your data as plain files and directories.

Overview

The sync feature exports your content as markdown files with YAML frontmatter, organized in a clear directory structure. This creates a portable, human-readable backup that you can access directly or use with other tools.

Supported Providers

Currently supported:
- Amazon S3 (and S3-compatible services like MinIO, Backblaze B2)

Setting Up Sync

1. Go to Preferences (via the user menu)
2. Scroll to the External Storage Sync section
3. Choose your provider (S3)
4. Enter your credentials:
   • Access Key ID
   • Secret Access Key
   • Bucket Name
   • Region (optional, defaults to us-east-1)
   • Custom Endpoint (optional, for S3-compatible services)
5. Click Test Connection to verify
6. Click Save to enable sync

Directory Structure

Your content is organized as follows:

para-sync/
├── Projects/
│   └── My-Project/
│       ├── _meta.md          # Project metadata
│       ├── journal.md        # Combined journal entries
│       ├── Tasks/
│       │   ├── 1-task-title.md
│       │   └── 2-another-task.md
│       └── Explorer/
│           ├── Folder-Name/
│           │   ├── 5-note-title.md
│           │   └── 6-document.pdf
│           └── 7-root-note.md
├── Areas/
│   └── ...
├── Resources/
│   └── ...
├── Archives/
│   └── ...
└── Trash/
    └── ...

File Format

Content is exported as markdown with YAML frontmatter:

---
id: 1
type: task
title: Implement Feature
status: in_progress
priority: high
due_date: 2026-04-20
created_at: 2026-04-01T10:00:00Z
tags: [backend, urgent]
---

# Implement Feature

## Description

Task description content...

## Comments

### user@example.com - 2026-04-02T09:00:00Z

Comment content here.

Sync Behavior

Real-time Sync

When you create or modify content, it's automatically queued for sync to your external storage.

Full Sync

A complete sync of all your content runs:
- When you first configure sync
- Hourly via background job
- Manually via the Preferences page

Progress Tracking

During a full sync, you can see progress in the navbar:
- A spinning cloud icon indicates sync in progress
- A progress bar shows percentage complete
- Hover to see detailed status

Sync Status

The navbar displays your sync status:

Managing Sync

From Preferences, you can:
- Enable/Disable sync without losing configuration
- Test Connection to verify credentials
- Trigger Full Sync manually
- View Status and any error messages

File Size Limits

By default, files larger than 100MB are skipped during sync. You can adjust this limit in Preferences.

Security

• Credentials are encrypted at rest
• Connections use HTTPS
• Only your own content is synced

Troubleshooting

Connection Failed

• Verify your access key and secret are correct
• Check that the bucket exists and is accessible
• For custom endpoints, ensure the URL is correct

Sync Errors

• Check the error message in Preferences
• Ensure you have write permissions to the bucket
• Verify network connectivity

Missing Content

• Wait for the next periodic sync (hourly)
• Trigger a manual full sync from Preferences
• Check if the item was recently created/modified