roblox-sync

name	roblox-sync
description	Studio Script Sync setup walkthrough. Canonical sync path for roblox-pi. Sacrificial layer if Roblox swaps the feature.
last_reviewed	"2026-05-21T00:00:00.000Z"

Studio Script Sync

Why This Is the Canonical Sync Path

Tool	Setup steps	TeamCreate	Project file required
Studio Script Sync	2 (toggle + right-click)	Yes	No
Rojo	6+ (install aftman, install Rojo, project.json, install plugin, serve, connect)	No	Yes
Argon	5 (install CLI, install plugin, init project, serve, connect)	No	Yes
Pesto	4 (install CLI, install plugin, init, sync)	Partial	Yes

Setup Walkthrough

1. In Roblox Studio, open File → Beta Features. Scroll to "Script Sync." Toggle it on. Restart Studio.
2. In Explorer, right-click the top-level container holding your scripts (commonly ServerScriptService, ReplicatedStorage, StarterPlayer → StarterPlayerScripts). Click Start Sync.
3. Pick a folder on disk. Suggested layout: ~/projects/<game-name>/src/<container-name>/. Studio will mirror the script tree into that folder as .luau files.
4. Repeat for each top-level container that holds scripts. Sync auto-resumes when Studio restarts.

Capacity

• Up to 10000 scripts per top-level instance
• Up to 128 top-level instances synced at once
• Two-way real-time sync. Edits in either direction propagate.

What Sync Does and Doesn't

Does:

• Bidirectional .luau file mirror for scripts (Script, LocalScript, ModuleScript)
• Auto-resume on Studio restart
• Works with TeamCreate
• Surfaces errors in UI when sync fails

Doesn't:

• Sync non-script instances (Parts, Models, Folders without scripts)
• Sync empty folders (use .gitkeep)
• Sync PackageLink instance metadata (package script contents do sync)
• Provide sourcemaps (you still need Rojo for that)

Mode Detection

Every session, the agent detects the active mode:

• Sync Mode (filesystem .luau files exist): read/write/edit via filesystem. MCP only for verification, playtest, scene ops, asset insertion. Never read a script via MCP if its file exists on disk.
• MCP-Only Mode (no .luau files on disk): minimize reads, prefer run_code for inspection, batch edits behind ChangeHistoryService Recording. Recommend enabling sync.

If MCP-only and project exceeds light-touch scope (>500 lines/module or >10 modules), proactively recommend Sync Mode before continuing.

Common Issues

• Sync silently stops after Studio update: restart Studio + re-Start Sync.
• Empty folders deleted on git pull: add .gitkeep.
• Sync errors not auto-detected: restart Studio. Roblox is fixing this.
• Duplicate-name hierarchy errors: avoid duplicate names within a sync container.

Version Control with Git

Script Sync puts .luau files on disk. Git works with files on disk. Use them together.

Setup (after sync is confirmed)

cd ~/projects/<game-name>
git init
git add .
git commit -m "initial sync"

.gitignore for Roblox projects

# Pi
.pi/

# Roblox build files (binary, don't track)
*.rbxl
*.rbxlx
*.rbxm
*.rbxmx

# OS
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

Agent responsibilities

• Suggest commits at natural breakpoints. After completing a system, fixing a batch of bugs, or before a risky change: "Want to commit what we've built so far?"
• Use git diff to review changes. Before committing, git diff to show the user what changed. This is the review loop.
• Commit messages should be descriptive. "add DataService with ProfileStore session locking" not "update files."
• Branch for risky work. If the user wants to experiment (new architecture, major refactor), suggest a branch first: git checkout -b refactor/combat-system.
• Don't auto-commit without asking. Always confirm before git commit. The user should see what's being committed.

Common git operations the agent should know

Operation	Command	When
See what changed	git diff	Before committing
Stage changes	git add -A or git add <file>	Before committing
Commit	git commit -m "message"	After staging
See history	git log --oneline -10	When user asks "what changed"
Undo last commit (keep changes)	git reset --soft HEAD~1	When user wants to redo commit
Create branch	git checkout -b <name>	Before risky/experimental work
Switch branch	git checkout <name>	When switching context
Merge branch	git merge <name>	When experimental work is ready

Conflict handling

If git merge conflicts occur in .luau files, the agent should:

1. Read the conflicting files
2. Show the user the conflict markers
3. Suggest a resolution based on what each side changed
4. Help resolve and commit

If User Already Has Rojo/Argon

Detect presence of default.project.json (Rojo) or *.project.json with Argon-specific fields. If found: filesystem is already source of truth, operate normally on disk. Don't suggest switching to Script Sync.