[
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "what%27s%20the%20difference%20between%20the%20two%20installers%20for%20Sync%2C%20one%20being%20a%20cloud%20version%20and%20one%20being%20a%20non%20cloud%20version%3F%20What%20does%20that%20mean%2C%20exactly%3F"
    },
    {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "Here\u2019s a breakdown of what people usually mean when they talk about two installers for \u201cSync\u201d\u2014one being a **Cloud** version and the other a **Non-Cloud** version\u2014especially in the context of file-sync tools like Sync.com. This is based mostly on what I pulled up from Sync.com\u2019s docs and user discussions. Let me know if you're talking about a different \u201cSync\u201d product\u2014I can look up specifics for that.\n\n---\n\n### What is \u201cCloudFiles\u201d / \u201cCloud Version\u201d in Sync\n\nThe \u201cCloud\u201d version is Sync.com\u2019s newer desktop app on Windows called **Sync CloudFiles (version 5.x)**. ([help.sync.com](https://help.sync.com/hc/en-us/articles/38275609668371-The-Sync-desktop-application-Windows-CloudFiles?utm_source=openai))  \nThis version supports a feature called *CloudFiles*, which introduces a \u201cfiles-on-demand\u201d model\u2014something many other cloud storage apps (OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.) provide. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sync/comments/1e5h34v?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n### What the \u201cNon-Cloud\u201d Version Means\n\nThe \u201cNon-CloudFiles\u201d version is the older version of the Sync desktop client (around version 2.2.x) that does **not** include the files-on-demand functionality. In this version, everything in your Sync folder is downloaded to and stored locally on your machine (assuming you're syncing). ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sync/comments/1e5h34v?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n### Main Differences & What They Mean for You\n\n| Feature | Cloud Version (CloudFiles) | Non-Cloud Version (No CloudFiles) |\n|---|---|---|\n| **Local storage use** | You can set files/folders in your Sync folder to be **\u201cCloud-only\u201d**, meaning they show up in your file explorer but don\u2019t take up space on your hard drive unless you open/download them. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sync/comments/1e5h34v?utm_source=openai)) | All files in the Sync folder are stored locally by default. They take up space, because there\u2019s no \u201cplaceholder\u201d state. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sync/comments/1e5h34v?utm_source=openai)) |\n| **Offline access** | Only files or folders you\u2019ve marked as *\u201cLocal\u201d* will be available offline; cloud-only items need internet to access. ([help.sync.com](https://help.sync.com/hc/en-us/articles/38275609668371-The-Sync-desktop-application-Windows-CloudFiles?utm_source=openai)) | Everything is by default available offline since it\u2019s all local. |\n| **Control over space usage** | Higher: you decide what stays local vs cloud only, plus there are options like automatically moving older files to cloud-only to save space. ([help.sync.com](https://help.sync.com/hc/en-us/articles/38275609668371-The-Sync-desktop-application-Windows-CloudFiles?utm_source=openai)) | Lower: you\u2019ll generally need enough disk space to store all synced content. |\n| **Behavior of new files** | In CloudFiles, you can choose default behavior: either \u201cnew files added from your mobile/other devices stay cloud-only\u201d or \u201cdownload all files immediately.\u201d ([help.sync.com](https://help.sync.com/hc/en-us/articles/38275609668371-The-Sync-desktop-application-Windows-CloudFiles?utm_source=openai)) | New files are downloaded locally by default (just like old-school sync). |\n| **Version / Path Support** | New cloud version is around 5.x (CloudFiles) for Windows; sync version 2.2.41 is the non-cloud version still used by people who don\u2019t want the CloudFiles behavior. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sync/comments/1e5h34v?utm_source=openai)) |\n| **Use case fit** | Great if you don\u2019t have huge local disk space, want flexibility, or want control over what\u2019s stored locally vs just in the cloud. | Better if you always need full offline access and don\u2019t mind using local storage. |\n\n---\n\n### Pros & Cons\n\n**Cloud Version (CloudFiles)**\n\nPros:\n\n- Saves your hard drive space by making files \u201cCloud-only.\u201d\n- You can still see placeholders for everything, browse, search, etc.\n- More flexible in managing storage.\n\nCons:\n\n- Must have internet access to open files if they\u2019re cloud-only.\n- Slight delay or lag when opening or syncing cloud-only items.\n- Some change in behavior: e.g. certain folder sync settings work differently than before. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sync/comments/1e5h34v?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n**Non-Cloud Version**\n\nPros:\n\n- Offline access to everything without needing to download manually.\n- More straightforward: what you see locally is exactly what\u2019s on the cloud.\n- Maybe less complexity in settings if you don\u2019t need the \u201ccloud only\u201d model.\n\nCons:\n\n- Takes up more disk space.\n- Less control over which files/folders take space locally.\n- Could lead to storage bloat if you sync a lot of data but rarely access some of it.\n\n---\n\n### Why Two Installers?\n\nSync.com created two separate installers so users can choose:\n\n- The newer cloud-aware client (CloudFiles, version 5.x) if they want *flexible storage and modern features*.\n- The classic non-cloud version (version 2.2.x) if they prefer the old behavior, especially if having everything local is important.\n\nGit-like version incompatibility or UI/behavior changes could also make some users prefer sticking with the non-CloudFiles version. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sync/comments/1e5h34v?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\nIf you tell me the exact \u201cSync\u201d product (e.g. \u201cSync.com\u201d, \u201cSyncthing\u201d, etc.) I can pull up the specific differences tailored for that one."
    }
]