---
title: Pair and Connect Libraries
description: Establish device trust and attach remote library state
sidebarTitle: Library Sync Setup
---

Pair devices first, then choose which library relationship to establish. Pairing
creates device trust. Library setup creates scoped shared state.

## 1. Check networking

Run on both devices:

~~~bash
sd-cli network status
~~~

Each daemon should report a node ID and active networking.

## 2. Pair the devices

On the device that will show the code:

~~~bash
sd-cli network pair generate
~~~

On the joining device:

~~~bash
sd-cli network pair join "<PAIRING_CODE>"
~~~

Confirm the peer identity on both sides, then list the paired devices:

~~~bash
sd-cli network devices
~~~

## 3. Inspect libraries

List local libraries:

~~~bash
sd-cli library list
~~~

Discover libraries exposed by the paired device:

~~~bash
sd-cli library sync-setup discover <REMOTE_DEVICE_ID>
~~~

Discovery follows the remote device's current grants. An undisclosed library is
not evidence that it does not exist.

## 4. Register or create the relationship

Run the interactive setup:

~~~bash
sd-cli library sync-setup setup --interactive
~~~

The flow supports:

- registering an authorized remote library with a local library;
- creating shared library state between the two devices;
- selecting the source and operation scopes each device receives.

For scripting, inspect exact arguments from the installed release:

~~~bash
sd-cli library sync-setup setup --help
~~~

Use stable library and device UUIDs. Do not parse display names as identity.

## 5. Confirm state

~~~bash
sd-cli library info
sd-cli network devices --connected
sd-cli sources list
sd-cli job list
~~~

Library sync can complete before every remote source is online. Source
availability and source-generation replication have their own state.

## What setup does not do

Connecting libraries does not:

- copy every source generation into the library database;
- download all file bytes;
- expose ungranted local paths;
- turn a remote browse into a backup;
- make two devices share unrestricted mutation rights.

Remote source serving, source-store subscription, caching, and file sync are
separate choices.

## Troubleshooting

### The peer is not discovered

Use the QR payload or node ID for internet pairing. Check that both daemons have
networking enabled and that the code has not expired.

### Pairing works but discovery returns no libraries

Review the remote device's library grant. Pairing proves identity but does not
grant every library.

### Metadata appears but files do not open

The source store may be cached while its origin is offline, or the grant may
allow metadata but not bytes. Inspect source availability and subtree scope.

### A job remains after reconnect

Query the job on the device executing it. Durable jobs remain owned by that
daemon and can outlive the client connection.

See [Device Pairing](/core/pairing), [Library Sync](/core/library-sync), and
[File Sync](/core/file-sync).