this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2024
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I use around 10 browser profiles, each of which has its own set of bookmarks, plugins, self-enforced rules, etc. I want to synchronise browsing history, bookmarks, plugins using a single account. They are managed with a dedicated Firefox account, but I was wondering if I can self host accounts so that I can synchronise stuff over my VPN, and I don't have to do mail verification every time I create a new profile. But I can't find much on how online.

I know syncserver-rs but that is not enough. The accounts are still registered with Mozilla's server.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I don't think you can sync all those items anyway. I use Mozilla's sync, and it doesn't sync all my settings or extensions.

Last time I checked, some people were using syncthing to sync the whole profile folder, but I feel like that's just a recipe for profile corruption. I don't know if it works cross-platform either.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

It syncs my extensions, except for mobile the ones that aren't available (obviously)

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yes. But it was a while ago (pre Rust) when I ran my own accounts server. I only self-host sycserver-rs now.

That being said, I'm pretty sire the mail verification is built in, so even if you self host accounts you'd have to make modifications.

[–] Object 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Can you do something with syncserver-rs alone? Even after I log in with Mozilla account and setting sync server URL to point to mine, nothing appears in the database.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Yea, it works for me, but there were no great guides. If nothing is in the DB, try checking HTTP error codes, or setting the RUST_LOG to trace (which gives you a log line for every item synced).

A problem I had that seemed like nothing was saving was the nginx proxy wasn't doing things right, and I couldn't tell. Using the local IP worked, and after making some nginx config tweaks I got it working.

I ended up making suggestions here based on my experience: https://github.com/porelli/firefox-sync

I didn't exactly use that repo, but started with it and use their images. Their nginx config works, though.

[–] Object 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Let me know if it works out for you, if not I can try to help.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (2 children)

As far as I know from my own attempt, you can't easily self host the accounts part, only the syncserver

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

An the Syncserver still runs on Python2 with multiple known vulnerabilities.

There is a new Syncserver written in Rust, but it seems in continous half finished state or so.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

~~Not for years. It's Rust now~~.

Doh, should have kept reading 😆 Rust is used in production now.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Maybe they referred to the Rust version.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Yeah, the new one was seemingly always just shy of being ready to use

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You can, it's just more complex.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

That why I said 'easily', there's no ready to go solution you could just plop into a compose file

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

no help to you, but my god is it convoluted and complex; every year or so I look up if there's been some change in that regard and every time I stop reading halfway through the setup instructions. maybe next year...