# Synchronization Protocol

    library(automerge)

## Overview

Automerge’s synchronization protocol enables multiple peers to exchange changes and converge to the same document state. The protocol is efficient, handling only missing changes between peers, and works over any transport (files, HTTP, WebSockets, etc.).

## High-Level Sync (Recommended)

For most use cases, use the high-level sync helpers that handle the protocol automatically.

### Bidirectional Sync

The simplest way to synchronize two documents:

    # Create two peers with different data
    peer1 <- am_create()
    peer1[["edited_by"]] <- "peer1"
    peer1[["data1"]] <- 100
    am_commit(peer1, "Peer1 changes")

    peer2 <- am_create()
    peer2[["edited_by"]] <- "peer2"
    peer2[["data2"]] <- 200
    am_commit(peer2, "Peer2 changes")

    # Automatic bidirectional sync (documents modified in place)
    rounds <- am_sync(peer1, peer2)

    rounds
    #> [1] 4

    # Both documents now have all data
    peer1[["data1"]]
    #> [1] 100
    peer1[["data2"]]
    #> [1] 200
    peer2[["data1"]]
    #> [1] 100
    peer2[["data2"]]
    #> [1] 200

    am_close(peer1)
    am_close(peer2)

When to use: Simple peer-to-peer synchronization where both sides need all changes.

### One-Way Merge

For pulling changes from one document to another without sending changes back:

    # Create source document
    source <- am_create()
    source[["version"]] <- "2.0"
    source[["features"]] <- list("auth", "api")
    am_commit(source)

    # Create target document
    target <- am_create()
    target[["version"]] <- "1.0"
    target[["development"]] <- TRUE
    am_commit(target)

    # Pull changes from source to target
    am_merge(target, source)

    # Target now has source's changes
    target[["version"]]
    #> [1] "1.0"

    # Source is unchanged
    names(source)
    #> [1] "features" "version"

    am_close(source)
    am_close(target)

When to use: Client pulling updates from server, importing changes from another peer.

## Low-Level Sync Protocol

For network protocols or fine-grained control, use the low-level API.

### Basic Protocol Flow

    # Create two peers
    peer3 <- am_create()
    peer3[["source"]] <- "peer3"
    am_commit(peer3)

    peer4 <- am_create()
    peer4[["source"]] <- "peer4"
    am_commit(peer4)

    # Each peer maintains its own sync state
    sync3 <- am_sync_state_new()
    sync4 <- am_sync_state_new()

    # Exchange messages until converged
    round <- 0
    repeat {
      round <- round + 1

      # Peer 3 generates message
      msg3 <- am_sync_encode(peer3, sync3)
      if (is.null(msg3)) {
        break
      } # No more messages

      # Peer 4 receives and processes
      am_sync_decode(peer4, sync4, msg3)

      # Peer 4 generates response
      msg4 <- am_sync_encode(peer4, sync4)
      if (is.null(msg4)) {
        break
      } # No more messages

      # Peer 3 receives and processes
      am_sync_decode(peer3, sync3, msg4)

      if (round > 100) {
        warning("Sync did not converge in 100 rounds")
        break
      }
    }

    round
    #> [1] 3
    peer3[["source"]]
    #> [1] "peer4"
    peer4[["source"]]
    #> [1] "peer4"

    am_close(peer3)
    am_close(peer4)

### Protocol Components

Sync State (`am_sync_state_new()`):

- Tracks what each peer knows
- Document-independent (can be reused)
- Should be preserved across sessions for efficiency

Sync Encode (`am_sync_encode(doc, sync_state)`):

- Generates sync message to send to peer
- Returns `NULL` when no more changes to send
- Message is binary (raw vector)

Sync Decode (`am_sync_decode(doc, sync_state, message)`):

- Receives sync message from peer
- Updates document and sync state
- Returns document invisibly for chaining

## Change-Based Synchronization

For scenarios where you want explicit control over individual changes:

### Exporting and Importing Changes

    # Create base document that will be shared
    base_doc <- am_create()
    base_doc[["v1"]] <- "first"
    am_commit(base_doc, "Version 1")

    # Fork to create two peers with shared history
    peer_a <- am_fork(base_doc)
    peer_b <- am_fork(base_doc)

    # Remember the fork point
    fork_heads <- am_get_heads(peer_a)

    # Peer A makes changes
    peer_a[["v2"]] <- "second"
    am_commit(peer_a, "Version 2")

    peer_a[["v3"]] <- "third"
    am_commit(peer_a, "Version 3")

    # Export changes since fork point
    changes <- am_get_changes(peer_a, fork_heads)

    length(changes)
    #> [1] 2

    # Peer B applies the changes
    am_apply_changes(peer_b, changes)

    # Verify both peers are in sync
    peer_b[["v2"]]
    #> [1] "second"
    peer_b[["v3"]]
    #> [1] "third"

### Saving Changes to Files

    # Save individual changes to files
    temp_dir <- tempdir()
    for (i in seq_along(changes)) {
      change_file <- file.path(temp_dir, sprintf("change_%03d.bin", i))
      writeBin(changes[[i]], change_file)
    }

    # Later: load and apply changes
    loaded_changes <- list()
    for (i in seq_along(changes)) {
      change_file <- file.path(temp_dir, sprintf("change_%03d.bin", i))
      loaded_changes[[i]] <- readBin(change_file, "raw", file.size(change_file))
    }

    # Apply loaded changes to a peer
    peer_c <- am_fork(base_doc)
    am_apply_changes(peer_c, loaded_changes)

    # Verify
    peer_c[["v3"]]
    #> [1] "third"

    am_close(base_doc)
    am_close(peer_a)
    am_close(peer_b)
    am_close(peer_c)

When to use: Git-like workflows, change logs, selective sync.

## Document Heads and History

### Understanding Heads

Heads are the most recent commits in a document’s history. They represent the current state’s frontier in the change graph.

    # Create document and make changes
    doc_main <- am_create()
    doc_main[["version"]] <- "1.0"
    am_commit(doc_main, "Initial version")

    # Get heads (fingerprint of current state)
    heads_v1 <- am_get_heads(doc_main)
    length(heads_v1)
    #> [1] 1

    # Make more changes
    doc_main[["version"]] <- "2.0"
    doc_main[["feature"]] <- "new"
    am_commit(doc_main, "Version 2")

    heads_v2 <- am_get_heads(doc_main)
    identical(heads_v1, heads_v2)
    #> [1] FALSE

Heads are useful for:

- Tracking which changes you’ve already seen
- Computing incremental updates
- Detecting whether documents have diverged

### Working with History

    # Get full change history
    history <- am_get_history(doc_main)
    length(history)
    #> [1] 2

    # History includes all commits ever made
    # Each entry contains metadata about a commit

    # Get changes between two points in history
    changes_since_v1 <- am_get_changes(doc_main, heads_v1)
    str(changes_since_v1)
    #> List of 1
    #>  $ : raw [1:126] 85 6f 4a 83 ...

    am_close(doc_main)

### Incremental Sync Pattern

Common pattern: track last sync point and only send new changes

    # Server document that accumulates changes
    server <- am_create()
    server[["users"]] <- 0L
    am_commit(server, "Initialize")

    # Client syncs and remembers server state
    client <- am_fork(server)
    last_sync_heads <- am_get_heads(server)

    # Client makes local changes
    client[["users"]] <- 1L
    client[["local_cache"]] <- TRUE
    am_commit(client, "Client updates")

    # Server receives changes from other clients
    server[["users"]] <- 5L
    server[["server_config"]] <- "production"
    am_commit(server, "Server updates")

    # Client pulls only new server changes since last sync
    new_changes <- am_get_changes(server, last_sync_heads)
    length(new_changes)
    #> [1] 1

    am_apply_changes(client, new_changes)

    # Update sync point
    last_sync_heads <- am_get_heads(server)

    # Client now has server's changes
    client[["server_config"]]
    #> [1] "production"

    # Server can also pull client's changes
    client_changes <- am_get_changes(client, am_get_heads(server))
    am_apply_changes(server, client_changes)

    server[["local_cache"]]
    #> [1] TRUE

    am_close(server)
    am_close(client)

### Detecting Divergence

    # Create two peers that will diverge
    peer_x <- am_create()
    peer_x[["id"]] <- "x"
    am_commit(peer_x)

    peer_y <- am_fork(peer_x)

    # Remember common state
    common_heads <- am_get_heads(peer_x)

    # Both make different changes
    peer_x[["data_x"]] <- "from X"
    am_commit(peer_x, "X's change")

    peer_y[["data_y"]] <- "from Y"
    am_commit(peer_y, "Y's change")

    # Check if they've diverged
    x_heads <- am_get_heads(peer_x)
    y_heads <- am_get_heads(peer_y)

    identical(x_heads, y_heads)
    #> [1] FALSE

    # Get each peer's changes since common state
    x_changes <- am_get_changes(peer_x, common_heads)
    y_changes <- am_get_changes(peer_y, common_heads)

    str(x_changes)
    #> List of 1
    #>  $ : raw [1:109] 85 6f 4a 83 ...
    str(y_changes)
    #> List of 1
    #>  $ : raw [1:109] 85 6f 4a 83 ...

    # Sync to merge divergent histories
    rounds <- am_sync(peer_x, peer_y)
    rounds
    #> [1] 4

    # After sync, heads are identical again
    identical(am_get_heads(peer_x), am_get_heads(peer_y))
    #> [1] TRUE

    am_close(peer_x)
    am_close(peer_y)

## Concurrent Edits

Understanding how concurrent edits merge:

    # Create shared starting point
    base <- am_create()
    base[["counter"]] <- am_counter(0)
    base[["status"]] <- "draft"
    am_commit(base)

    # Fork to two editors
    editor1 <- am_fork(base)
    editor2 <- am_fork(base)

    # Concurrent edits
    # Editor 1: increment counter, change status
    am_counter_increment(editor1, AM_ROOT, "counter", 5)
    editor1[["status"]] <- "review"
    am_commit(editor1, "Editor 1 changes")

    # Editor 2: increment counter differently, change status differently
    am_counter_increment(editor2, AM_ROOT, "counter", 3)
    editor2[["status"]] <- "published"
    am_commit(editor2, "Editor 2 changes")

    # Sync editors
    rounds <- am_sync(editor1, editor2)

    # Counter: Both increments sum (CRDT)
    editor1[["counter"]]
    #> <Automerge Counter: 8 >

    # Status: Deterministic conflict resolution (one value wins)
    editor1[["status"]]
    #> [1] "published"

    am_close(base)
    am_close(editor1)
    am_close(editor2)

## Sync Performance

### The Sync Frequency Tradeoff

There’s a fundamental tradeoff between collaboration latency and efficiency:

    # Strategy A: Frequent sync (lower latency, more overhead)
    doc_frequent <- am_create()
    peer_frequent <- am_create()

    sync_count_frequent <- 0
    for (i in 1:10) {
      doc_frequent[[paste0("k", i)]] <- i
      am_commit(doc_frequent, paste("Change", i))

      rounds <- am_sync(doc_frequent, peer_frequent)
      sync_count_frequent <- sync_count_frequent + 1
    }

    # 10 separate commits, 10 sync operations
    sync_count_frequent
    #> [1] 10

    # Strategy B: Batched commits (higher latency, less overhead)
    doc_batched <- am_create()
    peer_batched <- am_create()

    # Batch all changes into one commit
    for (i in 1:10) {
      doc_batched[[paste0("k", i)]] <- i
    }
    am_commit(doc_batched, "Batch of 10 changes")

    rounds <- am_sync(doc_batched, peer_batched)

    # 1 commit, 1 sync operation
    rounds
    #> [1] 4

    # Compare document sizes
    length(am_save(doc_frequent))
    #> [1] 265
    length(am_save(doc_batched))
    #> [1] 186

    am_close(doc_frequent)
    am_close(peer_frequent)
    am_close(doc_batched)
    am_close(peer_batched)

Batching creates smaller documents because:

- Fewer commit metadata entries
- Better compression of related changes
- Less overhead from commit boundaries

### Choosing a Strategy

Use frequent syncs when:

- Multiple users editing simultaneously
- Low-latency collaboration is critical (real-time editing)
- Users need to see each other’s changes quickly
- Working over reliable, fast networks

Use batched commits when:

- Single user making many changes
- Optimizing for storage/bandwidth
- Syncing over slow or metered connections
- Changes are logically related (e.g., form submission)

Hybrid approach (recommended for most cases):

    # Batch related changes, sync periodically
    doc_hybrid <- am_create()

    # User fills out a form (batch these)
    doc_hybrid[["name"]] <- "Alice"
    doc_hybrid[["email"]] <- "alice@example.com"
    doc_hybrid[["preferences"]] <- list("theme" = "dark")
    am_commit(doc_hybrid, "Update user profile")

    # Sync after logical unit of work
    # result <- sync_with_server(doc_hybrid)

    # Later: another logical unit
    doc_hybrid[["last_login"]] <- Sys.time()
    am_commit(doc_hybrid, "Record login")

    # Sync again
    # result <- sync_with_server(doc_hybrid)

    am_close(doc_hybrid)

### Reusing Sync State

Sync state tracks what each peer has seen, enabling efficient incremental sync:

    # Without reusing sync state (inefficient)
    doc_no_reuse <- am_create()
    doc_no_reuse[["v1"]] <- 1
    am_commit(doc_no_reuse)

    peer_no_reuse <- am_create()

    # First sync
    rounds1 <- am_sync(doc_no_reuse, peer_no_reuse)
    rounds1
    #> [1] 4

    # Add more changes
    doc_no_reuse[["v2"]] <- 2
    am_commit(doc_no_reuse)

    # Second sync (creates new sync state, may resend some data)
    rounds2 <- am_sync(doc_no_reuse, peer_no_reuse)
    rounds2
    #> [1] 4

    # With reusing sync state (efficient)
    doc_reuse <- am_create()
    doc_reuse[["v1"]] <- 1
    am_commit(doc_reuse)

    peer_reuse <- am_create()
    sync_state_local <- am_sync_state_new()
    sync_state_peer <- am_sync_state_new()

    # Manual sync with persistent state
    msg1 <- am_sync_encode(doc_reuse, sync_state_local)
    am_sync_decode(peer_reuse, sync_state_peer, msg1)
    msg2 <- am_sync_encode(peer_reuse, sync_state_peer)

    if (!is.null(msg2)) {
      am_sync_decode(doc_reuse, sync_state_local, msg2)
    }

    # Add more changes
    doc_reuse[["v2"]] <- 2
    am_commit(doc_reuse)

    # Second sync reuses state (only sends new changes)
    msg3 <- am_sync_encode(doc_reuse, sync_state_local)
    am_sync_decode(peer_reuse, sync_state_peer, msg3)

    # Sync state remembers what was already exchanged

    am_close(doc_no_reuse)
    am_close(peer_no_reuse)
    am_close(doc_reuse)
    am_close(peer_reuse)

When to persist sync state:

- Long-lived connections (WebSocket servers)
- Periodic sync jobs (cron, scheduled tasks)
- Client apps that reconnect frequently
- Reduces redundant data transfer significantly

### Measuring Performance

    # Compare efficiency of different approaches
    measure_sync <- function(n_changes, batch_size) {
      doc <- am_create()
      peer <- am_create()

      changes_made <- 0
      syncs_performed <- 0

      for (i in seq_len(n_changes)) {
        doc[[paste0("k", i)]] <- i
        changes_made <- changes_made + 1

        # Commit every batch_size changes
        if (changes_made %% batch_size == 0) {
          am_commit(doc, sprintf("Batch at %d", changes_made))
          rounds <- am_sync(doc, peer)
          syncs_performed <- syncs_performed + 1
        }
      }

      # Final commit if needed
      if (changes_made %% batch_size != 0) {
        am_commit(doc, "Final batch")
        rounds <- am_sync(doc, peer)
        syncs_performed <- syncs_performed + 1
      }

      result <- list(
        changes = changes_made,
        syncs = syncs_performed,
        size = length(am_save(doc))
      )

      am_close(doc)
      am_close(peer)

      result
    }

    # No batching: commit and sync after every change
    result_no_batch <- measure_sync(20, 1)

    # Medium batching: commit every 5 changes
    result_medium <- measure_sync(20, 5)

    # Full batching: single commit at end
    result_full <- measure_sync(20, 20)

    # Compare results
    result_no_batch$syncs
    #> [1] 20
    result_medium$syncs
    #> [1] 4
    result_full$syncs
    #> [1] 1

    # Document sizes
    result_no_batch$size
    #> [1] 461
    result_medium$size
    #> [1] 276
    result_full$size
    #> [1] 233

## Next Steps

- Learn about CRDT Concepts to understand merge behavior
- Check the Quick Reference for all sync functions

## Further Reading

- Local-First Software