Development would have to weigh in with any specific technical details, if they choose to.
Here’s another analogy I tend to think of: It is like going to a software company’s downloads page. I can see the link to download from but the download fails from the server. So I can see (query) a link to the download is present (quick verification) but still can’t actually download the desired item.
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I keep having this error for months (I didn’t know it was a widespread issue) but somehow for me the sync still works. Is it safe to keep ignoring it (my only worry being data loss or corruption)?
It might well be that a sync fails with this error and the next attempt succeeds, so no error.
So people who can wait a few minutes for a sync don’t need to worry?
So people who can wait a few minutes for a sync don’t need to worry?
I wouldn’t say “worry” but people should be aware things may not be syncing at the time.
PS: Do you actually need a remote sync option? See…
Thank you for the details. I would use bonjour to sync between iOS and macOS, sadly I spend too much time at the university and libraries, and I usually use Devonthink To Go when I commute between them. This is a very light usage (proof reading, etc.) so I don’t mind using CloudKit if the only problems are a sync that is a few hours late sometimes and the occasional duplicated file.
So, why do you need remote sync? You do something at uni/lib, and when you’re back home, you sync via Bonjour.
Or is someone else working with your data while you’re at uni/lib, and you want to have your mobile data always be the same as what they just did to them remotely?
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Because for example I can make a few edits in the morning on my way to the university, or from a library A to a library B, so the sync allows me to carry on on my mac during the day. But if one day the sync fails (which never happened despite the error messages), I can survive.
… on your iPad/iPhone?
So, you’re carrying your Mac and an iOS/iPadOS with you and you want to work on both of them having everything in sync all the time? Even that should be possible with Bonjour, as long as your Mac and the other device(s) are on the same network. Possibly even with your i*OS device running a private hotspot to which you connect your Mac (haven’t tried that, though).
I’ve done Bonjour syncing by wire, e.g., connecting Mac to mobile via Lightning cable, all over the country for a very long time. 
Yes, but I think it only works on private networks.
This and the hotspot thing seem to be solutions if I ever encounter issues with CloudKit, but right now my laziness likes the fact of having nothing to do with the iCloud sync option, apart from occasionally forcing the sync with one click.
That said, I may reconsider the cable option in the future, as for other purposes (such as transferring media), I sometimes miss the good old cable.
Hardwired connections are always more robust and reliable over WiFi. Ethernet is 
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So, turning off CloudKit sync, deleting the DT data on iCloud, deleting both mobile apps, waiting a few hours, and re-enabling sync on the laptop continued to return a stream of CKError Domain 15/status 500 errors. But (cue cargo cult thinking) turning off CloudKit sync, deleting the DT data on iCloud, turning on a VPN, and then re-enabling sync has worked. I’ve reuploaded the databases I do actively use remotely.
I do wonder if I disconnected the VPN mid-sync, or if DT had a sync going through the VPN that then got interrupted and resumed without the VPN, that somehow angered the CloudKit gods.
(Spoke too soon. DT has successfully uploaded 5 databases. DTTG only sees 2.)
FYI, doing all that data and app deleting probably had nothing to do with resolving your issue with Apple syncing.
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We’ve changed nothing in the code as there obviously hasn’t been a release in the past week
However @jbmanos and @timmo have both reported things suddenly started syncing again. So how would it logically follow it would be a sync issue? 
This is very much “your mileage may vary” question because Apple don’t tell us mere mortals what they do with their syncs, but for what it’s worth mine nearly always works on second try if I wait a couple of minutes. In fact I don’t think it’s not worked on second try for many many months.
I’m also on a VPN (NordVPN) and I have private relay turned on. I’m not willing to sacrifice my privacy just to access DTTG but in any case since for me iCloud sync always resolves if I wait a few minutes I don’t consider it a priority I need to address (it is 100% a priority Apple should be addressing, but I can live with their nonsense in the meantime).
I only get an error a couple of times a day though, I realise there are other users getting it more (and many not getting an error at all) so what I’m willing to tolerate may not be true for someone else.
(I find these threads about CloudKit quite tiresome since it would be worth directing our ire at Apple since they’re the only ones who can fix their shitty sync system, but since Apple don’t care and DT respond, I get why people don’t. But anyway you asked a question and it was deserved an answer. Whilst identifying the root cause of the problem serves no purpose, and no-one asked for my opinion, I am going to say that I believe all of these problems started with Apple rapidly rolling out syncing services to third party apps many years ago. Their infrastructure clearly couldn’t cope with the load, they were quite obviously chasing money at the expense of good service, and now I suspect they have a debt of infrastructure work that they can’t hope to repay because of the scale of the work involved. So we get left with them fiddling around the edges trying to maintain their network in patches, and variable service as a result.)
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I’ve received additional reports that it’s working again. Seems that “temporary” iCloud issues can last up to one week.
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