[Bug] Sync is unreliable and leads to data loss

[wuhhh]

Bug Description

I regularly update several to-do lists from both my laptop and phone, I use AppFlowy cloud sync. Several times I have found that checklist items have been lost between sessions on my two devices. Just this morning I opened the desktop app to review one of my lists and items that I had added on my phone were missing. Opened the app on my phone to check, and it had synced with my desktop version creating a situation where I had nothing to revert back to and an incorrect sync with missing data. This isn't the first time I've noticed the problem - IMO AppFlowy cloud sync is not ready for production and should be marked as an alpha/experimental feature.

How to Reproduce

I cannot provide simple steps to reproduce the bug as this is behaviour I've noticed over an extended period of time using both the mobile app on iOS and the desktop app on Macos.

Expected Behavior

Correct syncing.

Operating System

Sequoia 15.7.2, iOS 26.2

AppFlowy Version(s)

0.11.0

Screenshots

No response

Additional Context

No response

[annieappflowy]

Thanks for reporting this. We haven't received similar bug reports since our syncing protocol revamp. We are currently reviewing your details, and a team member will follow up with you soon.

[LucasXu0]

Hi @wuhhh, can you clarify whether the "to-do lists" and "checklist" refer to the to-do list in the document or the checklist property in the database?

[wuhhh]

Hi @LucasXu0 - I was referring to document to-do lists

[LucasXu0]

@wuhhh Are there more details you can share to help me address this issue?

For example, did the to-do list disappear after being open for a while on mobile, or did you notice it missing right after you opened the page?

[wuhhh]

I'm afraid I don't remember the exact sequence of events; I believe the last edit was on mobile, made changes on desktop, realised items were missing

[wuhhh]

I just wanted to circle back to this issue to say that, since opening this, I haven't suffered the same issue again - that's with almost daily use. It's been perfectly reliable. Perhaps this was human error on my part or a local connectivity problem. All seems well 👍🏼

[MS44118]

I meet the same issue between app on linux 0.10.6 and the browser content via Firefox. Firefox seems to keep the datas updated but when i go to the linux app I lost text, and connexions between page and grids even between grids and tabs of grids.

on firefox everything is fine:

but on linux app,
there is a pb of permission on the page Offres

and the grid OFFRES can't find the Grid Tab Offres

if i meet once again text loss i will post sreen copy here.

[jassufr]

I too face this same issue. Also there is sync delay between two or more devices.

[LucasXu0]

Hi there, @MS44118 please try upgrading to v0.11.2, which may resolve the permission issue you're experiencing.

@jassufr based on your experience, how long is the delay when sync is completed? And if you open the page on both desktop and mobile, when you type on one device, will the changes be synced immediately or do you need to wait a few minutes for the update?

[jassufr]

I was writing a document. Appflowy was running on both android and windows simultaneously. It was perfect syncing changes. But when I logged out of the app from windows and logged in again. The sync wasn't working the way it worked before. It took significant time to sync.

edit: Also when I make some changes like create a new space, the delay is very noticeable.

[LucasXu0]

@jassufr Which version are you using for desktop and mobile?

[jassufr]

I am using the 0.11.2 version.

[wuhhh]

This issue has returned for me, too. I was out today and added a task to one of my lists from the iPhone app. Returned home and opened the desktop app (0.11.2) on mac - the item I had added was not there. I opened the mobile app to confirm it still exists there, which it does. I restarted both apps a few times and they will not sync this particular tick box item.

Upgraded to 0.11.3, restarted that a few more times - still will not sync correctly so now I have mobile app with one set of data, desktop app with another 😒

[kkkrabi]

Exact same problem here ! And I have it for a long time ago. I'm using appflowly both on my laptop and my phone (android). I use a grid page as a todo list with differents categories. This grid is never updated at the same time between my two devices. For exemple :

1. I make a modification in the grid on my phone
2. I open my laptop and doesnt see the modification
3. so I force the cloud sync. in Appflowly settings on my laptop
4. I end up with having a weird grid on my laptop : a mix of updated and non-updated lines
   Do I do something wrong ?