> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dbdock.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cloud Sync

> Link a local DBDock CLI project to your DBDock Cloud dashboard. Automate from the terminal, monitor from the browser — and keep secrets on your machine, because only metadata syncs.

Cloud Sync connects a local [CLI](/cli/overview) project to your [DBDock Cloud](/cloud/overview) account. Configure and run DBDock from the terminal, and see the same project — its connection, storage, schedules, and backup metadata — in the dashboard.

<Note>
  **Secrets stay on your machine.** Sync uploads only non-sensitive metadata. Database passwords, storage keys, encryption secrets, and webhook URLs are never sent. See [Data handling](/cloud-sync/data-handling).
</Note>

## Why link them

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Best of both" icon="scale-balanced">
    Script and automate locally; monitor, share, and review from a managed dashboard.
  </Card>

  <Card title="One source of truth" icon="check">
    Your `dbdock.config.json` stays authoritative. The dashboard mirrors it.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Team visibility" icon="users">
    Give teammates a read on what's configured without sharing your machine.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Safe by design" icon="lock">
    Metadata-only sync means linking a project never exports a credential.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How it works

DBDock keeps a small `.dbdock/` folder in your project that records which cloud project this directory is linked to and the last state it synced. Running `dbdock sync` compares your local config to the cloud baseline and pushes the differences.

```text theme={null}
your-project/
├── dbdock.config.json   # your configuration (authoritative)
└── .dbdock/
    ├── config.json       # linked project id
    ├── state.json        # last synced revision
    └── conflicts/        # saved conflict snapshots, if any
```

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign in">
    Run [`dbdock login`](/cli/login) to authenticate to DBDock Cloud in your browser.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Link the project">
    Run [`dbdock init`](/cli/init) — it offers to link this directory to a cloud project. (Already have a config? It links the existing one.)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sync">
    Run [`dbdock sync`](/cli/sync) to push your local metadata to the dashboard. Use `dbdock open` to jump to it in the browser.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Everyday commands

| Command                      | What it does                       |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| [`dbdock login`](/cli/login) | Sign in to DBDock Cloud            |
| `dbdock whoami`              | Show the signed-in account         |
| [`dbdock sync`](/cli/sync)   | Push local metadata to the cloud   |
| `dbdock sync status`         | Compare local vs. cloud            |
| `dbdock sync pull`           | Adopt the cloud baseline           |
| [`dbdock open`](/cli/open)   | Open this project in the dashboard |
| `dbdock logout`              | Remove stored credentials          |

## Next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Authentication" icon="key" href="/cloud-sync/authentication">
    Sign in, profiles, and tokens.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Syncing a project" icon="arrows-rotate" href="/cloud-sync/sync">
    Push, pull, status, and conflicts.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>