CalDAV and CardDAV are internet protocols that allow you to synchronize calendars and contacts across multiple devices. They are widely used in personal information management systems and provide a standard way to manage and share calendar events and contact information. Here's a brief overview of each:
- CalDAV (Calendaring Extensions to WebDAV)
Purpose: CalDAV is a protocol designed for managing and synchronizing calendar events between a client (such as your smartphone or computer) and a server (such as iCloud, Google Calendar, etc.).
How It Works: It extends the WebDAV protocol, which is itself an extension of HTTP, to allow access to calendar data on a remote server. Users can create, modify, delete, and view calendar events across multiple devices in real time.
Common Use Cases:
Syncing your calendar between devices (smartphone, computer, tablet).
Sharing calendars with other users.
Managing calendar events in cloud services like Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or any CalDAV-supported service.
Supported Services: Google Calendar, Apple iCloud, Yahoo Calendar, and various open-source or enterprise calendar services. - CardDAV (vCard Extensions to WebDAV)
Purpose: CardDAV is used for synchronizing contact information (such as names, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.) across multiple devices and servers.
How It Works: Similar to CalDAV, CardDAV extends WebDAV to allow access to and management of contact data on a remote server. Users can manage their contacts in real time, with changes reflected across all connected devices.
Common Use Cases:
Syncing contact information between devices.
Centralized management of contacts in cloud services.
Sharing contact lists with other users or across devices.
Supported Services: Apple iCloud, Google Contacts, FastMail, Yahoo Contacts, and other CardDAV-compliant services.
Key Differences:
CalDAV: Deals with calendar events and scheduling.
CardDAV: Deals with contact information.
Both protocols are used to enable seamless synchronization of data across devices and are particularly useful for users who want their calendars and contacts to be consistent across multiple platforms (e.g., smartphone, tablet, computer). They ensure that any changes made on one device are automatically updated on others, provided they are connected to the same service.
