Extension talk:FileSync.php

This is the second version of FileSync, the first was part of wikid using the file.pl peer extension code. This version is made to integrate directly into the wiki environment allowing centralised in-wiki control of configuration files.

Bidirectional

This version allows changes made from the filesystem side to become a revision in the wiki so that the changes to the file don't get accidentally overwritten. Syncing can be set to read, write, both or none to disable the sync relationship.

Multi Protocol

Provision for protocols other than just standard FS access is being developed, the main priority being SCP so that configuration files on remote servers can be locally managed in-wiki. Later, this may also include synchronisation across wiki's too using either the code in wiki.pl, or the new MediaWiki::Client Perl module.

Multi destination

Multiple paths can be set in the FileSync parameters, allowing configuration to be mirrored across servers.

What do we want if for?

This is part of OD/Wikia, it will allow us to more quickly set up and maintain MediaWiki's by having in-wiki access to their configuration. OD/Wikia is also being made more generic so that it can be used to manage many different kinds of LAMP-based software such as vTiger and OsFinancials. FileSync will then be used to maintain the configuration files for all of these diverse instances.

We will also use it to allow many of our source files to be maintained within the wiki environment such as our MediaWiki extension source and peerd source.