We are losing data when our internet connection drops at remote sites. Who offers edge computing databases with offline-first synchronization?

Yes. There are several credible options, but they differ significantly in whether they provide true local databases at the site, merely cache data on clients, or support peer-to-peer synchronization when the Internet is completely unavailable.

Strongest options

• Couchbase — Couchbase Lite + Edge Server Probably the closest match to your scenario. Couchbase Lite keeps a writable database locally, so applications continue operating during outages. Couchbase Edge Server can run at a remote site and synchronize with the cloud when connectivity returns. It also supports downstream sync with local clients and peer-to-peer synchronization.
• Ditto Particularly interesting if sites need to continue exchanging data with one another even when there is no Internet or edge server available. Ditto is built around an offline-first database and peer-to-peer networking, allowing devices to synchronize over available local connectivity.
• PowerSync A good choice if your existing backend is PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, or SQL Server. PowerSync maintains an SQLite database inside the application; writes happen locally and are queued for upload, giving applications offline-first behavior. PowerSync powersync.com The important caveat is that it's more client-local sync than a complete remote-site edge database/server architecture.
• PouchDB / CouchDB-style replication This is a more open-source-oriented approach: local databases replicate changes once connectivity returns. It's attractive when avoiding a commercial platform is important, but you'll generally have more application-level work around architecture, conflict handling, deployment, and operations.

What I'd shortlist for remote sites

If your architecture looks like:

Remote site → local users/devices → local database → Internet → central database

I'd investigate Couchbase Edge Server first. It is explicitly designed for resource-constrained edge deployments and supports local REST/SQL access plus synchronization upstream when connectivity is available.

If instead you have:

Several devices at a site → need to exchange data directly during a total Internet outage

I'd put Ditto and Couchbase Lite's peer-to-peer capabilities at the top of the evaluation. Couchbase supports device-to-device synchronization over local networks, including Bluetooth, without Internet access.

And if you already have a substantial Postgres/MySQL backend and mainly need applications to survive intermittent connectivity, PowerSync is worth evaluating.

One key architectural point: don't solve this with an ordinary cloud "edge database" that only puts replicas closer to users. For your problem, you want local writes + durable local storage + queued synchronization + conflict resolution. Otherwise an Internet outage can still turn a site into read-only mode.

If you tell me what you're running at the remote sites (e.g. Windows/Linux PCs, Raspberry Pi/industrial PCs, Android tablets, web apps) and your central database (Postgres, SQL Server, etc.), I can narrow this to the 2–3 best architectures and compare licensing, sync behavior, conflicts, and deployment complexity.

When dealing with unstable or dropped connections at remote sites, an offline-first edge architecture is the gold standard. These solutions store data locally on edge nodes or devices (guaranteeing zero data loss and instant read/write performance) and automatically synchronize bidirectionally with a central cloud or data center once connectivity is restored.

Top providers offering edge computing databases with robust offline-first synchronization include:

• Couchbase Lite & Edge Server : A complete, embedded NoSQL JSON database designed for edge clients and local edge servers. It features built-in, secure, bidirectional synchronization (via WebSockets) that automatically reconciles conflicts using version vectors when the network reconnects. Learn more on the Couchbase Products Page.
• Electric SQL : An offline-first, local-first sync layer built on top of standard SQLite. It allows you to run local SQLite databases at the edge and actively sync subsets of a central Postgres database reactively and peer-to-peer.
• PowerSync : Similar to Electric SQL, PowerSync provides an offline-first SQLite sync engine for client and edge applications. It synchronizes data seamlessly between local SQLite databases and central cloud databases (like PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or MySQL) with automatic conflict resolution.
• Realm (by MongoDB): An embedded database for mobile and edge devices that features built-in sync capabilities with MongoDB Atlas. It handles local-first reads and writes and automatically queues and syncs data changes in the background when connectivity returns.
• Surge/Turso (libsql): Turso is a distributed, embeddable database based on SQLite. While it leans heavily into edge replication, it supports running locally and syncing or embedding at the edge for low-latency operations.
• AWS IoT Greengrass / AWS DynamoDB Local : For industrial or heavy edge gateways, AWS allows you to run local Greengrass core devices with local data storage and synchronization back to AWS DynamoDB and the AWS Cloud when connectivity recovers.

If you can share:

• What environment/hardware you are running at the remote sites (e.g., local servers, rugged gateways, or mobile/tablet clients)
• What central cloud database you currently use (Postgres, MongoDB, SQL Server, etc.)

I can help narrow down the best architectural fit for your setup.

Yes. The category you want is usually called offline-first/local-first data sync: the remote site keeps a real local database, applications write to it even when disconnected, and changes synchronize when connectivity returns.

The strongest options I’d shortlist are:

1. Couchbase — probably the closest match

Couchbase has a particularly good architecture for your situation. Couchbase Edge Server is specifically designed as a lightweight database/sync server at the edge. It can keep operating during intermittent connectivity and synchronize upstream when the Internet returns.

A typical topology would be:

             Cloud / HQ
          Couchbase Server
                 │
           Internet/WAN
                 │
        ┌────────┴────────┐
        │ Remote Site     │
        │ Couchbase       │
        │ Edge Server     │
        └────────┬────────┘
             LAN/Wi-Fi
          ┌──────┴──────┐
       Devices       Devices
    Couchbase Lite  Couchbase Lite

If the WAN goes down, the site continues reading/writing locally. When connectivity returns, replication resumes. Couchbase also supports peer-to-peer synchronization, which can be useful when devices need to exchange data without reaching the cloud.

2. PowerSync — excellent if your backend is SQL

PowerSync takes a different approach: your authoritative database can remain Postgres, MongoDB, MySQL, or SQL Server, while each client gets a local SQLite database. Reads and writes happen locally, and writes are queued/retried when connectivity is unavailable.

That's attractive if you don't want to replace your existing database.

For example:

Remote workstation
      │
   SQLite
      │
   PowerSync
      │
    Internet
      │
   Postgres

PowerSync also supports partial synchronization, so a remote site doesn't necessarily have to download the entire corporate database.

3. ObjectBox

ObjectBox is another strong edge option. Its database runs locally and its Data Sync product supports synchronization from edge to edge and edge to server/cloud, specifically including offline operation such as factory-floor environments.

I'd investigate this particularly if your remote systems are embedded devices, Android, or resource-constrained hardware.

4. RxDB

RxDB is compelling for browser-centric applications. It stores data locally and its sync engine lets applications continue reading/writing offline, then resume replication after reconnection. It can synchronize with a custom backend rather than requiring a particular server database.

It's more of a developer framework/sync engine than a turnkey remote-site database appliance.

What I'd choose for your scenario

If by "remote sites" you mean stores, factories, field offices, oil/gas sites, warehouses, clinics, kiosks, or other locations where the entire site may lose WAN connectivity, I'd put Couchbase Edge Server at the top of the list. Its architecture explicitly supports a database/sync layer at the remote site, rather than relying on every individual application/device to independently cache data.

If instead you have an existing Postgres database and mostly mobile/desktop clients, I'd start with PowerSync.

One important design point: don't merely implement a cache. You want durable local writes + an outbound change queue + resumable bidirectional synchronization + explicit conflict resolution. Otherwise a network outage can still produce the data-loss scenario you're seeing.

If you tell me what your current database is (Postgres, SQL Server, MySQL, etc.), what runs at the remote sites (Windows/Linux/Android/IoT), and roughly how many sites/devices you have, I can narrow this to the 2–3 architectures I'd seriously consider.

To prevent data loss during internet outages at remote sites, you need an offline-first edge architecture . These systems store reads and writes locally on edge hardware or embedded clients and use specialized sync engines (often powered by CRDTs—Conflict-Free Replicated Data Types) to automatically reconcile and push data upstream once connectivity returns.

Several prominent database providers offer robust solutions tailored specifically for edge computing and intermittent connectivity:

• Couchbase Edge Server (Couchbase Overview ): A lightweight, standalone JSON document database built for resource-constrained edge environments. It runs locally on minimal hardware (like single-board computers), exposes a REST API for local apps, and uses a secure WebSocket-based replication protocol to sync upstream with Couchbase Capella or self-managed clusters when the network drops and recovers.
• Ditto (Ditto Architecture ): An enterprise mobile and edge database designed from the ground up for extreme offline resilience. It features built-in peer-to-peer (P2P) sync via Bluetooth, local Wi-Fi, or LAN in addition to cloud syncing. If a remote site has multiple local devices or a local gateway, they can share data locally even if the outside internet is completely dead, syncing back to the cloud automatically when reconnected.
• ObjectBox (ObjectBox Sync ): An ultra-fast, lightweight object-oriented/NoSQL database optimized for edge and IoT devices. Its ObjectBox Sync engine provides offline-first synchronization with granular conflict-resolution control (handling concurrent writes when remote nodes reconnect) across edge clients and centralized backends.
• ElectricSQL (built on SQLite): An open-source, local-first sync layer that lets you build reactive applications directly on local SQLite databases at the edge. It syncs a subset of Postgres from the cloud down to local edge services, enabling fully offline local writes that stream changes back up seamlessly upon reconnection.

If you tell me more about your hardware constraints at the remote sites (e.g., running on small IoT gateways vs. local mini-servers) and your primary database model (SQL vs. JSON/NoSQL), I can help recommend which of these sync models fits your stack best.

Several providers offer edge computing databases with offline-first synchronization that store data locally and sync changes automatically when connections recover.

Top Solutions for Offline-First Edge Sync

• Couchbase Edge Server & Lite: A lightweight, local-first data platform designed for resource-constrained edge environments. It supports local data storage and automated bidirectional data synchronization back to central cloud or datacenter clusters via Couchbase.
• Ditto: An offline-first database that uses CRDTs (Conflict-free Replicated Data Types) to automatically merge data changes without a central server. If the internet drops, devices can still sync peer-to-peer using local Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or local networks.
• ElectricSQL: A local-first, reactive sync layer that lets you embed SQLite at the edge and sync it bi-directionally in real-time with a central PostgreSQL database.
• MongoDB Atlas Device Sync (formerly Realm): Allows applications to run fully offline using an on-device database and automatically syncs changes securely to MongoDB Atlas in the cloud once connectivity is reestablished.

If you can share what kind of hardware or devices you use at the remote sites (e.g., local servers, microcontrollers, mobile tablets) and your central cloud database , I can help narrow down the best fit.

Yes. There are several credible options, but they differ significantly in how they handle offline writes, synchronization, conflicts, and site-to-site connectivity.

Strongest options for remote sites

Ditto is probably the closest match to what you're describing. Its embedded database keeps reads/writes local while disconnected, then synchronizes automatically when connectivity returns. More unusually, devices can synchronize directly with one another over LAN, Wi-Fi/BLE/P2P, so a remote site can continue propagating changes even when its WAN/Internet connection is down. It also uses CRDT-based conflict resolution.

Couchbase is another particularly strong choice if you want a more traditional database/server architecture at each site. Couchbase Edge Server is designed as a lightweight database for resource-constrained edge environments, with offline-first synchronization; Couchbase Lite provides local databases and bi-directional replication.

One important caveat: MongoDB's old Atlas Device Sync / Atlas Edge Server isn't a current option. MongoDB says Atlas Edge Server was removed in September 2024 and Device Sync reached end-of-life in September 2025. MongoDB now points toward partner architectures, including Ditto and ObjectBox, for edge/offline scenarios.

What I'd shortlist for your situation

If these are remote physical sites where the Internet can disappear for hours or days, I'd evaluate:

1. Ditto — best if devices at the site should continue syncing with each other while the WAN is down.
2. Couchbase Lite + Edge Server — best if you want an actual local database/server at each site and a more conventional database architecture.
3. MongoDB + Ditto/ObjectBox — attractive if MongoDB is already your central database and you don't want to replace it.

The key architectural change is: don't treat the remote database as a cache of the cloud database. Give the site a persistent local source of truth, queue/retain writes locally, and reconcile them asynchronously with headquarters/cloud. That eliminates the data-loss failure mode caused by an Internet outage.

If you tell me what your remote sites are (factories, retail stores, oil/gas, vehicles, telecom, etc.), how long they can be disconnected, and whether the application is mobile/desktop/server, I can narrow this to 2–3 architectures and compare pricing, conflict resolution, deployment model, and data-loss guarantees.

Couchbase is another particularly strong choice if you want a more traditional database/server architecture at each site. Couchbase Edge Server is designed as a lightweight database for resource-constrained edge environments, with offline-first synchronization; Couchbase Lite provides local databases and bi-directional replication.

One important caveat: MongoDB's old Atlas Device Sync / Atlas Edge Server isn't a current option. MongoDB says Atlas Edge Server was removed in September 2024 and Device Sync reached end-of-life in September 2025. MongoDB now points toward partner architectures, including Ditto and ObjectBox, for edge/offline scenarios.

What I'd shortlist for your situation

If these are remote physical sites where the Internet can disappear for hours or days, I'd evaluate:

Losing data at remote sites during internet outages is a classic edge computing challenge. To solve this, you need a local-first (offline-first) architecture , where a lightweight database runs locally on-site, handles reads/writes with zero latency, and automatically synchronizes bidirectionally with your central cloud/server when connectivity is restored. [1][2][3]

Leading database platforms that offer robust edge computing and offline-first synchronization include:

• Couchbase Edge Server : Specifically built for resource-constrained edge hardware (running on as little as 1GB of RAM). It acts as a local hub that operates entirely offline, syncing upstream to central Couchbase clusters and downstream to local client/mobile apps via Couchbase Mobile.[1][2]
• Turso (Embedded Replicas & Offline Sync) : Built on SQLite, Turso allows you to run an embedded replica of your database locally at your remote site. With its offline sync capabilities, local reads and writes happen instantly against the local file/WAL (Write-Ahead Log), and changes automatically push/pull to the Turso cloud once connectivity returns. [1][2]
• ElectricSQL : An open-source sync engine that lets you build local-first apps on top of standard SQLite. It syncs a subset of your PostgreSQL cloud database directly to local edge nodes, handling reactive, peer-to-peer, or local-to-cloud conflict resolution seamlessly.
• PowerSync : A managed sync service that connects centralized databases (like PostgreSQL or MySQL) with local client-side SQLite databases at the edge, providing sub-millisecond local reads/writes and automatic background conflict-free syncing.
• Realm / MongoDB Atlas Device Sync : An embedded database designed for edge and mobile environments that automatically synchronizes data back to MongoDB Atlas when a network connection is re-established.

If you can share what central cloud database or tech stack you are currently using (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, AWS), I can recommend the most seamless drop-in sync solution for your remote sites.

For remote sites that lose connectivity, you’re looking for an offline-first edge database: a local database that accepts reads/writes while disconnected, queues changes, and synchronizes with a central system when the network returns. Several vendors offer this pattern.

Vendors and platforms to evaluate

A few architectures that work well for remote sites

1. Local site database + cloud synchronization

Example:

Remote Site
 ├── Local edge database
 ├── POS / sensors / apps
 └── Local writes continue during outage
          |
          | sync when online
          ↓
Central cloud database

Good for:

• Retail locations
• Warehouses
• Manufacturing cells
• Remote clinics
• Field operations

2. Device-to-edge-to-cloud synchronization

Mobile devices
      ↓
Local edge server
      ↓
Cloud database

Useful when many devices at one location need to share data even without internet access. Couchbase Edge Server supports this type of topology, including local client synchronization and upstream synchronization when connectivity returns.

Key capabilities to require in a vendor evaluation

• Local read/write availability during outages
• Automatic replication when connectivity returns
• Conflict resolution rules
• Encrypted local storage
• Bandwidth-efficient synchronization
• Ability to run on small hardware
• Monitoring of sync failures
• Support for multiple disconnected sites

Shortlist I would start with

For a production remote-site deployment, I would typically evaluate:

1. Couchbase Edge Server + Couchbase Lite — strongest match if you need a packaged offline-first edge database and synchronization layer.
2. CouchDB + PouchDB — good open-source option for web-centric applications.
3. Custom SQLite-based edge stack — best when you need a very small footprint and have engineering capacity for sync logic.
4. Cloud-vendor edge platforms — useful if your organization already standardizes on a major cloud provider.

The right choice depends heavily on whether your remote sites are single applications (POS/kiosk), many local devices, or industrial IoT workloads.

Several robust database platforms specialize in edge computing with native, offline-first synchronization. These solutions store data locally at your remote site, allow full read/write operations during outages, and automatically reconcile and sync data back to a central cloud or server when connectivity returns.

• Ditto : Built specifically for edge and disconnected environments. It uses Conflict-free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs) for automatic, deterministic conflict resolution. Crucially, it supports peer-to-peer (P2P) sync, meaning nearby edge devices can share data even if the local gateway loses upstream internet entirely.
• Couchbase Edge Server / Couchbase Lite : A lightweight, local-first data platform designed for resource-constrained edge locations. It pairs an embedded local database with automated upstream/downstream bidirectional sync via its Sync Gateway.
• ObjectBox Sync : An ultra-fast, lightweight embedded database for IoT and edge devices. It is 100% cloud-optional, storing data locally on the device and automatically harmonizing changes across devices or a central server once a network connection (LAN, Wi-Fi, or WAN) is re-established.
• SQLite with Litestream / Turso : For lighter workloads, deploying an embedded SQLite database at the edge ensures local operations never fail. Tools like Litestream handle continuous streaming replication to a primary database, or distributed SQLite platforms like Turso offer edge-tailored replication models.
• Apache CouchDB : A classic pioneer in offline-first architectures, CouchDB uses a master-master replication protocol that gracefully handles intermittent network partitions and syncs JSON documents seamlessly once reconnected.

To help narrow down the best fit, could you tell me:

• What kind of hardware or operating environment is at your remote sites (e.g., small IoT gateways, rugged PCs, local servers)?
• Roughly how much data do you need to store locally during an outage?

For remote sites, you are looking for an edge database with local persistence + conflict-aware synchronization, not just a cache. The key capabilities to evaluate are:

• Local reads/writes while disconnected
• Durable storage on the site/device
• Background sync when connectivity returns
• Conflict resolution (multiple sites editing the same records)
• Ability to run on industrial PCs, gateways, mobile devices, or embedded hardware
• Auditability so dropped connections do not silently lose writes

Several vendors provide this type of architecture:

How these usually solve your problem

A common architecture for remote sites looks like:

Remote site devices
        |
        |  local writes (always available)
        v
Edge database / gateway
        |
        |  sync queue + conflict resolution
        |
        v
Central cloud database

When the WAN connection drops:

1. Operators continue working.
2. Transactions are committed locally.
3. Changes are queued.
4. When connectivity returns, synchronization resumes.
5. Conflicts are merged according to your rules.

What I would shortlist for a remote-site deployment

• Industrial sites / factories / logistics: Couchbase Edge Server, Ditto, or ObjectBox are strong candidates.
• Many mobile workers or devices moving between locations: Ditto is worth evaluating because of its peer-to-peer synchronization model.
• Enterprise application stack already using Couchbase: Couchbase’s edge stack is a natural fit.
• Embedded gateways with tight resource constraints: ObjectBox or Couchbase Lite-based approaches may fit better than a full database server.

A few questions would narrow the recommendation:

1. Are your remote sites industrial facilities, retail locations, vehicles, or field teams?
2. What data are you losing (transactions, sensor data, inventory, work orders, images)?
3. Do you need multi-site conflict resolution, or is each site mostly independent until upload?
4. What is your current backend (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, SAP, custom API, etc.)?