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Sync

Correlate treats data synchronization very seriously, because there are few more frustrating things than finding out a backup wasn't run for the last 3 months. A sync indicator appears in the main toolbar so you can be sure it's working.

Choose a sync method in Settings under the Sync section. There are two options: iCloud and WebDAV. iCloud is easy. WebDAV is great if you want to stick to your own data ecosystem.

iCloud

The simplest option. Select iCloud in Settings — there's nothing else to configure. As long as you're signed into the same iCloud account on every device that has Correlate installed, your data will sync automatically.

iCloud sync uses Apple's CloudKit service in your private iCloud database. Apple cannot read your data, and Correlate can only access what it writes - see the Privacy Policy.

WebDAV

WebDAV lets you sync to your own server. This is the right choice if you self-host (Nextcloud, ownCloud, a NAS that supports WebDAV, etc.) or if you'd rather your data not pass through iCloud.

In Settings, select WebDAV and fill in:

  • Server URL — the WebDAV endpoint your server provides.
  • Username and Password — the credentials for that account.

Tap Test Connection to confirm Correlate can reach the server.

How sync works

Whenever you change a value, add a note, or modify your variables, Correlate waits 3 seconds without changes and then syncs. This avoids a flurry of network traffic while you're actively making changes — sync only fires once you've stopped.

The sync icon in the header pill shows the current state:

  • A cloud with a checkmark — last sync succeeded.
  • A spinning indicator — sync is in progress.
  • A cloud with a slash — sync is disabled.
  • A cloud with an exclamation mark — last sync failed.

A small orange dot on the icon means there are pending changes that haven't been synced yet.

Tap the sync icon to force an immediate sync. Long-press the sync icon to open the sync log — a timestamped history of every sync attempt and any errors. The log is the place to look first when something seems wrong.

What happens when sync conflicts

If you edit on two devices at once and the same data is changed on both, Correlate compares timestamps and goes with the newer change.

If two devices have unrelated data sets — for example, one fresh install that's never synced and another with months of history — Correlate notices and asks you which side to keep (push your local copy up, pull the remote down, or cancel). It doesn't silently pick.

Importing and exporting

Whether or not sync is on, you can move data manually:

  • Export — Settings → Your Data → Export. Opens the iOS share sheet so you can save correlate.json to Files, Mail, or anywhere else. Useful as a manual backup.
  • Import — Settings → Your Data → Import. Pick a correlate.json file (one you exported earlier, or one from another device). Correlate replaces the on-device data with the imported file.

For the format itself, see Data Format.