Real-Time Sync
Real-time sync is the process of ensuring that data changes in one system are immediately propagated to all connected systems, maintaining consistent state across multiple data sources without manual refresh.
Understanding Real-Time Sync
When you update a task in Linear, add an event in Google Calendar, or receive an email in Gmail, GAIA needs to know about these changes immediately to make accurate decisions. Real-time sync uses webhooks and event streaming to push changes to GAIA the moment they occur rather than waiting for a scheduled data refresh. This immediacy is essential for a proactive AI assistant: stale data leads to outdated context, missed deadlines, and incorrect scheduling decisions. Effective real-time sync must handle conflicts, idempotency, and event ordering to maintain reliable consistency.
How GAIA Uses Real-Time Sync
GAIA maintains real-time sync across all connected tools through webhook subscriptions. When any connected tool updates data — a calendar event changes, a task is completed, a Slack message arrives — GAIA receives the event immediately and updates its internal context. This ensures GAIA's scheduling decisions, task prioritization, and context retrieval reflect the current state of your work, not stale cached data.
Related Concepts
Webhook
A webhook is an HTTP callback mechanism where a system sends an automated HTTP request to a specified URL whenever a defined event occurs, enabling real-time notification and integration between services without polling.
Event-Driven Architecture
Event-driven architecture (EDA) is a software design pattern where system components communicate through events — discrete notifications that something has happened — enabling loose coupling, real-time responsiveness, and scalable reactive systems.
API Integration
API integration is the process of connecting different software applications through their Application Programming Interfaces, enabling them to share data and functionality seamlessly.
Offline-First
Offline-first is a software design approach where applications are built to function fully without an internet connection, using local storage for data and syncing changes with remote servers when connectivity is available.
