Databases shouldn't be located in clouds folders

This is most probably a stupid question but I simply cannot manage to find an answer. Fairly recently I have started to receive the following warnings: “Databases shouldn’t be located in clouds folders”.
I am at present simply storing my Databases in Dropbox folders but I should perhaps not be doing it.
I have difficulties in both understanding why or finding information about this. Likewise I would like to know what I should be doing instead and what are the risks involved with storing my Databases in a cloud folder.
Many thanks in advance.

There are a dozens of threads here on that topic, if you searched.

Short story: DEVONthink databases contain a complex internal structure of folders. If the internal structure is modified by something other than DEVONthink you are courting disaster, which could result in loss of some or all of your database. Dropbox is not built to maintain that structure, nor is iCloud, etc. Storing a database in Dropbox can result in Dropbox ripping it apart from the inside out. I’ve seen this personally.

If you love your data, don’t put your .dtBase2 files into a cloud service. Store them in your computer’s filesystem (or an external drive) outside your cloud folders. The circumstance that damage hasn’t happened yet means nothing. It will.

This is not the same as using Dropbox for sync purposes. DEVONthink sync stores are specially made for working with Dropbox and certain other cloud services – sync stores are not databases; they are used for transferring data from one computer to another.

I wrote it before but write it again - stay away from clouds. The bes feature with DevonThink is just that - you “own” your info, locally, safer and not just a password away.

Seen so many scandals/scams where password leaks out and information is revealed.

Keep your info synced locally on your own WiFi-network between your own units.

And never pay someone to store your stuff, they might not be around tomorrow.

Thanks for the explanation. This clarify matters and I shall change the way I use Dropbox.

I did conduct a search but unfortunately did not manage to find any of the dozen of such discussions. This must be because I looked for “Databases shouldn’t be located in clouds folders”.

The search feature here is simplistic. “Store database dropbox” get’s closer 8)