Open-Source Databases · Mimetis

Dotmim.Sync

Dotmim.Sync is a .NET framework for synchronizing relational databases across multiple platforms and database engines (SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite). It supports bi-directional sync with conflict resolution and works with .NET 8 and .NET Standard 2.0 projects.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/Mimetis/Dotmim.Sync

978

GitHub stars

203

Forks

Primary language

MIT

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	Mimetis/Dotmim.Sync
Owner	Mimetis
Primary language	C#
License	MIT — OSI-approved
Stars	978
Forks	203
Open issues	64
Latest release	Unknown
Last updated	2025-08-28
Source	https://github.com/Mimetis/Dotmim.Sync

What Dotmim.Sync is

Built on .NET Standard 2.0 (compatible with .NET 8), DMS provides database synchronization via pluggable providers, change tracking, and a SyncAgent pattern for coordinating client-server or multi-node sync operations. Supports SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite with configurable table setup and conflict resolution policies.

Quickstart

Get the Dotmim.Sync source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/Mimetis/Dotmim.Sync.git2cd Dotmim.Sync3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

IoT and mobile offline-first scenarios

Lightweight SQLite clients syncing with central SQL Server or MySQL hub; ideal for field teams, disconnected operations, and .NET Standard 2.0 compatibility across platforms.

Multi-database replication and consolidation

Synchronize data between heterogeneous databases (e.g., PostgreSQL to SQLite, SQL Server to MySQL) without custom ETL; supports incremental sync and change tracking.

Xamarin and UWP mobile applications

Built-in support for cross-platform .NET projects; enables offline-capable mobile apps with server synchronization and conflict resolution.

Implementation considerations

Requires explicit table setup via SyncSetup API; not automatic schema discovery. Plan table inclusion and sync directionality upfront.
Conflict resolution policies and bi-directional sync behavior must be configured; test conflict scenarios thoroughly in staging.
Change tracking relies on provider-specific mechanisms (triggers, timestamps, etc.); verify database-side overhead and log retention in production.
Network connectivity and intermittent failures during sync require retry logic and error handling in client code.
.NET runtime dependency; ensure target platforms support .NET 8 or .NET Standard 2.0 compatible runtime.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

No stable release version available — Latest release field shows 'n/a'. Code is pushed recently (Aug 2025), but no formal versioning. Production deployments should verify version stability and support expectations.
Real-time or near-instant sync required — Framework is designed for periodic synchronization rather than continuous streaming. High-frequency low-latency sync needs may benefit from event-driven or pub/sub alternatives.
Large-scale enterprise with vendor support SLA — Open-source community project (author @sebpertus). No commercial support, SLA, or dedicated maintenance team documented. Consider if internal resources can handle troubleshooting.
Non-relational or graph databases — DMS targets relational databases only (SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite). NoSQL, document stores, or graph databases are out of scope.

License & commercial use

MIT License (permissive, OSI-approved). Allows free use, modification, and distribution in proprietary and open-source projects, provided MIT license text is included.

MIT License permits commercial use. No license restrictions on commercial deployment. However, no vendor support, warranties, or indemnification are provided; assess internal support readiness and liability tolerance before critical production use.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Moderate
Documentation	Adequate
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Moderate
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	Medium

Security considerations

No explicit security audit or threat model documented. Key considerations: (1) Change tracking on server side may expose sensitivity via logs/triggers; (2) Wire protocol (HTTP/REST) security depends on configuration; verify TLS and authentication/authorization enforced; (3) Conflict resolution logic should be validated for data leakage or unintended overwrites; (4) No mention of encryption at rest or in transit; (5) Dependency chain and NuGet package provenance should be vetted. Requires detailed security review before handling sensitive data.

Alternatives to consider

Microsoft Sync Framework or Azure Cosmos DB change feed

Microsoft-backed sync solutions with enterprise support and deeper .NET/SQL Server integration, though less multi-database flexibility.

Debezium (Kafka-based CDC)

Event-streaming change data capture for real-time, high-volume sync across diverse databases; heavier infrastructure but production-grade at scale.

RavenDB or Couchbase Lite

If considering local-first mobile/offline scenarios, embedded databases with built-in sync may reduce operational complexity vs. relational + DMS.

Software development agency

Build on Dotmim.Sync with DEV.co software developers

Dotmim.Sync is well-suited for IoT, mobile, and multi-database scenarios—but lacks stable versioning and vendor support. Our engineers can help you assess architecture fit, security posture, and integration feasibility with your data stack.

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Related open-source tools

Surfaced by semantic similarity across the DEV.co open-source index.

realm-dotnet dtm sqlsync

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Dotmim.Sync FAQ

Does Dotmim.Sync require a central hub server?

No, but the SyncAgent pattern (client-server) is primary. Multi-master or peer-to-peer sync is not explicitly documented; verify topology support in full docs.

Can I use Dotmim.Sync with Entity Framework Core?

No documented integration. DMS operates at a lower level; coordinate manually between EF Core models and DMS table setup, or abstract via custom providers.

What happens if a client and server update the same row?

DMS includes conflict resolution (configurable policies mentioned in README output). Review conflict resolution behavior in documentation; default policy not specified in excerpt.

Is there a REST or gRPC API for sync?

Not documented in excerpt. Verify in full documentation; DMS may require server-side hosting and client library usage rather than HTTP endpoints.

Software development & web development with DEV.co

Adopting Dotmim.Sync is usually one piece of a larger software development effort. As a software development agency, DEV.co provides software development services and web development expertise — pairing senior software developers and web developers with your team to design, build, and operate open-source databases software in production.

Evaluate Dotmim.Sync for Your Sync Architecture

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