Conduit is a GUI client which can be used to synchronize files and folders across remote locations and between web services. For example, you may be managing all your photos using Fspot image manager and you may wish to upload all or select few photos from Fspot to your Flickr account. Conduit helps you to automate the whole process. In a few steps, you can set conduit up for synchronizing all your photos with your Flickr account. This is a two way process. For example, you can also download all the photos from your Flickr account to your hard disk.

There are 3 basic data types for Conduit denoted by the little blue arrows shown beside their icons. They are -

1. One way sources – You can only pull data from these sources. Examples are RSS feeds, Rythmbox music, and Files.
2. One way sinks – These sources allow you to push data into them. But do not allow you to download data from them. Examples are Google Docs, Facebook, Shutterfly, and Backpack Notes.
3. Two way items – These sources lets you sync both ways. That means, you can push data to these sources as well as pull data from them. Examples are YouTube, Tomboy Notes, Picasa, F-Spot, Flickr, Google Contacts, Evolution (Memos,  Tasks, Contacts, and Calendar), Box.net, GConf settings, your Network, and between Folders.

Conduit manages the synchronization and conversion of data into other formats too.

How to synchronize data using Conduit

The conduit interface can be symbolically divided into 3 panes.

Conduit Interface

Pane 1 contains all the Data Providers supported by Conduit. You can drag and drop the data sources from Pane 1 to either Pane 2 or Pane 3. Once there are one or more data sources in Pane 2 and Pane 3, a link is created between them as shown by the black arrows.  The  arrows indicate in which direction the data flow will take place.

You can right click on each of the data sources in Panes 2 & 3 and configure them. Right-clicking on the arrows will allow you to set the synchronization options among other things.

Once you have set your data sources, you can start the synchronization process by clicking on menu “File > Synchronize All“.

Examples of Conduit’s usages

Two way synchronization of videos between your computer and YouTube.

Upload pictures from F-Spot simultaneously to your respective accounts at Picasa, Shutterfly, Flickr and Facebook.

Upload files to Box.net and Google Documents simultaneously.

Conduit is an excellent tool to synchronize your files, photos, emails, contacts, notes, calendar data and any other type of personal information and synchronize that data with another computer, an online service, or even another electronic device.