[
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "when%20using%20mbsync%2C%20are%20far%2Fnear%20same%20as%20master%2Fslave%3F"
    },
    {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "In short: yes \u2014 in **mbsync** (part of *isync*) the old terms **Master/Slave** are essentially the same as **Far/Near**, but the older terms are now deprecated. Here's a detailed breakdown of what that means, why it changed, and how they're used.\n\n---\n\n## What Are Master/Slave (Far/Near)?\n\n- **Master / Slave** was the original terminology used in isync/mbsync configs to indicate *which side is remote (Master)* and *which side is local (Slave)*.  \n- The terms **Far / Near** are newer, recommended replacements: **Far** == remote store, **Near** == local store. ([isync.sourceforge.io](https://isync.sourceforge.io/isync.html?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n## Why the Change?\n\n- The language was updated to use *Far/Near* instead of *Master/Slave* for clarity and to remove potentially exclusionary or non-descriptive terminology.  \n- The codebase and user-facing messages now mark **Master/Slave** as deprecated. If your config still uses them, you'll see warnings like:\n  \n  > \u201cNotice: Master/Slave are deprecated; use Far/Near instead.\u201d ([sourceforge.net](https://sourceforge.net/p/isync/bugs/58/?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n## Are They Functionally the Same?\n\nYes. All of the semantic behavior \u2014 what gets synced, from where to where, what flags/folders are created or removed \u2014 operates exactly the same whether you use **Master/Slave** or **Far/Near**. Only the names have changed. ([sourceforge.net](https://sourceforge.net/p/isync/mailman/message/37077569/?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n## In Practice: How to Update\n\nIf you have a `.mbsyncrc` (or `.isyncrc`) that uses `Master` and `Slave`, you can update it like this:\n\nOriginal style:\n```conf\nChannel mychannel\nMaster :remote-store:\nSlave :local-store:\nPatterns *\nCreate Both\nExpunge Both\nSyncState *\n```\n\nUpdated style:\n```conf\nChannel mychannel\nFar :remote-store:\nNear :local-store:\nPatterns *\nCreate Both\nExpunge Both\nSyncState *\n```\n\nAll other options \u2014 `Patterns`, `Create`, `Expunge`, etc. \u2014 work the same. ([seanh.cc](https://www.seanh.cc/2021/08/22/backup-fastmail-and-gmail-with-isync/?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\nIf you want, I can show you how to migrate a specific configuration file you have \u2014 changing Master/Slave to Far/Near and making sure it's up to date. Do you want help with that?"
    }
]