Differences Between Local and Cloud Install

The only significant differences would be in the way the 'normal' Cloud Service works and the way SyncThing is designed to work.

My understanding is that SyncThing works in much the same way that any peer to peer networking service works, i.e. you can only sync your folders/files/data when both 'server' and 'client' device are switch on and connected (networked).

'Normal' Cloud use only requires that the device in use is connected to the internet when initial synchronisation takes place, but enables multiple devices which have the service's sync app installed, to automatically synchronise with the centrally stored data whenever they are switched on, providing internet is available. The key 'downsides' to this approach are:

- the availability of reliable internet access;
- that the user needs to ensure that synchronisation of any data that may have been altered on another device takes place before using/editing any stored data to avoid the possibility of data loss/corruption;
- particular care needs to be taken if more than one device is likely to be using/accessing apps/data stored on a cloud service at the same time, if you want to avoid possible problems; and
- apps/files/data that you want to auto-sync via a cloud service is obviously stored in the cloud as well as on your local 'devices', which SyncThing was designed to avoid.

Currently, there is no difference. The installer is just helping detect where you'd like to install to and can automatically detect if you have locations for those cloud services on your hard drive. At some point in the future I hope to integrate with one or more cloud services.