FreeFileSync 12.5

FreeFileSync Technical Documentation

System Requirements

Operating System

FreeFileSync requires:

• Windows 10 (64-bit) or macOS High Sierra (or later)
• Linux distributions based on Ubuntu, Fedora, or Debian (tested on Ubuntu 18.04, Fedora 29, and Debian 9)

Hardware Specifications

The following hardware requirements are recommended for optimal performance:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-2300 or AMD equivalent
• RAM: At least 2 GB (4 GB or more for large directory comparisons)
• Storage: 256 MB of free disk space on the system drive
• Graphics Card: Integrated graphics (Intel Iris, NVIDIA GeForce, or AMD Radeon) are sufficient

Network Connectivity

FreeFileSync requires a stable network connection to synchronize folders. A minimum upload speed of 100 kbps is recommended for most users.

Browser Compatibility

If you plan to use the web interface:

• Google Chrome (version 64 or later)
• Mozilla Firefox (version 52 or later)

Installation Guide

Installing FreeFileSync via Installer

1. Download the latest version of FreeFileSync from our official website.
2. Run the installer and follow the prompts:
   • Select the installation location
   • Choose whether to install as a service or run the executable directly
   • Accept the license agreement
3. Wait for the installation to complete (approximately 5-10 minutes)

Installing FreeFileSync via Command Line

### Download the latest version of FreeFileSync
wget https://example.com/freesync-1.11.0.exe

### Run the installer as a service
sudo ./freesync-1.11.0.exe /install /service

### Configure the service to run at startup
sudo systemctl enable freefsink.service

### Enable network connectivity
sudo ip link add dev eth0 type Ethernet

Common Installation Issues and Solutions

• Failed installation due to missing dependencies: Ensure that all required libraries are installed before proceeding with the installer.
  • On Windows: Run dpinst.exe as an administrator.
  • On Linux: Install the recommended dependencies, including libfuse3-dev, using your package manager.
• Installer fails to complete due to insufficient disk space: Ensure that you have sufficient free disk space (at least 256 MB) before proceeding with the installation.

Post-Installation Steps

After completing the installation, ensure that the FreeFileSync service is running and configured correctly:

### Start the service
sudo systemctl start freefsink.service

### Verify the service status
sudo systemctl status freefsink.service

Technical Architecture

FreeFileSync uses the following core technologies, frameworks, and languages:

• Programming Languages: C++ (main application), Python (scripting layer)
• Libraries: Qt 5.12.2 (cross-platform GUI framework), Fuse 3.x (file system abstraction library)
• Databases: SQLite 3.x (temporary data storage)

FreeFileSync employs a modular software architecture, where each module is responsible for specific tasks:

1. Filesystem Abstraction Layer (Fuse): Provides access to the underlying filesystem.
2. Comparison Engine: Performs file comparisons and calculates differences.
3. GUI Framework (Qt): Handles user input, displays progress bars, and provides a graphical interface.

Performance considerations include:

• Hash-based comparison algorithm: Efficiently compares files based on their contents
• Asyncronous operations: Reduces the risk of performance bottlenecks during large directory comparisons

Dependencies

FreeFileSync relies on the following libraries and tools:

Prerequisite Software

• Windows: .NET Framework 4.6 or later
• Linux (Ubuntu-based): libfuse3-dev
• macOS (High Sierra and later): Xcode 9.0 or later

Compatibility Concerns

• FreeFileSync is not compatible with certain filesystem features, such as symbolic links.
• macOS users may need to adjust the /etc/fstab file to ensure proper directory enumeration.

Note: Ensure that you have a stable internet connection and adequate disk space before running FreeFileSync for the first time. This will help prevent data loss in case of an unexpected error during the initialization process.