Monica: CardDAV Client Support

[Wdavery]

This was mentioned near the top of #42

Don't forget that some already have carddav servers setup. So having Monica updating those remote servers would be a good feature. That way we'd have a single source of truth for contact information.

Forgive me if this is part of what is currently being implemented, but from what I've read in the multiple open issues about CardDAV, it seems to only be implementing a CardDAV _server_, not implementing a way to interface with existing CardDAV Servers.

I don't want to change where I'm hosting my contacts, so it'd be great if Monica could interface with my current setup and update contacts accordingly.

[asbiin]

For now, this has not been prioritized.

Monica is aim to be a prinicipal contact (carddav) server, and not the other way.
But I understand the need.

I'm not aware of any contact management system with carddav server, that implements a carddav client too... Maybe you have an example? But Monica could be the first?

[Wdavery]

I totally understand the priority of server first, as the aim of the project is to be a complete management system itself.

I’m not sure I’ve seen a server/client example myself, Monica may be the first.
I think that it exemplifies the open source idea, giving the power to the users, giving choice in how to use the software.

I currently use Nextcloud as my CardDav server and my entire family uses it as well. However not everyone is interested in using Monica and I wouldn’t want to give up the sharing and grouping functionalities we have now by splitting my user base across two servers.

Monica has come quite far in the time I’ve been watching it and I’m excited to continue seeing it grow!

[lucker999]

From a user point of view, I would rather have a Nextcloud-ish server with a growing integrated apps base then use standalone Monica and dozen others services which need additional integration. For instance, I love the idea of personal CRM and have been searching for it quite a while. I think Monica is the surest way such personal / family CRM should be. But the core of a CRM are the contacts. And if no integration with existing, wide-spread and growing contact store/sync/manage solution provided, the user base will be limited to a very narrow lot of dedicated followers who tolerate inconveniences (or can create a solution by themselves).

Since the project provide no way to sync contacts with existing solutions (android/iOS phones, PIM software such Thunderbird, Outlook, etc., cloud contact management like Nextcloud, Gmail, Outlook365, etc) the usage case quite limited, tedious and cumbersome. But I would be a first to install, praise and donate to a day Monica provide sync solution for the contacts.

Here is a issue with quite reasonable suggestions for integration with Nextcloud /Owncloud. IMHO this is the target user base for Monica. It requires not much - just sync a few fields with nextcloud and allow authorisation to Monica with login to Nextcloud. That's would be very good start. The other things could be accomlished after the numerous donations of the new happy user of Nextcloud /Ouwcloud who added Monica to the mix.

[dosch]

Couldn't agree more.
I find myself checking back on the progress of this kind of integration for well over a year now. Waiting for it to be complete so I can finally move over....

Some kind of statement that this is high priority and that I can star using Monica already today, as I will be able to merge my existing (nextcloud) address book with Monica in the future would already be enough for me to start using the paid service...