Merge branch 'feature/init-name-resolution'

Two bugs:

1. Meta stem fallback used raw instance name (unslugged), so names with
   forbidden chars like '/' would create bogus directory components in
   the meta path. Fix: fallback now slugifies + init-prefixes, matching
   name_for_inst.

2. AdjacentMetadata name check used split('.').next() to extract the
   filesystem stem, breaking dotted names like "Name.new" (stem became
   "Name", mismatched the instance name, wrote an unnecessary name
   property). Fix: check the conditions that cause name_for_inst to
   diverge (invalid chars or init-prefix) directly instead of comparing
   path stems.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

.gitignore

@@ -23,3 +23,6 @@
 # Macos file system junk
 ._*
 .DS_STORE
+
+# JetBrains IDEs
+/.idea/

.gitmodules

@@ -16,3 +16,6 @@
 [submodule "plugin/Packages/Highlighter"]
 	path = plugin/Packages/Highlighter
 	url = https://github.com/boatbomber/highlighter.git
+[submodule "plugin/Packages/msgpack-luau"]
+	path = plugin/Packages/msgpack-luau
+	url = https://github.com/cipharius/msgpack-luau/

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -30,9 +30,26 @@ Making a new release? Simply add the new header with the version and date undern
 -->
 
 ## Unreleased
-* Fixed a bug caused by having reference properties (such as `ObjectValue.Value`) that point to an Instance not included in syncback. ([#1179])
 
+* `inf` and `nan` values in properties are now synced ([#1176])
+* Fixed a bug caused by having reference properties (such as `ObjectValue.Value`) that point to an Instance not included in syncback. ([#1179])
+* Implemented support for the "name" property in meta/model JSON files. ([#1187])
+* Fixed instance replacement fallback failing when too many instances needed to be replaced. ([#1192])
+* Added actors and bindable/remote event/function variants to be synced back as JSON files. ([#1199])
+* Fixed a bug where MacOS paths weren't being handled correctly. ([#1201])
+* Fixed a bug where the notification timeout thread would fail to cancel on unmount ([#1211])
+* Added a "Forget" option to the sync reminder notification to avoid being reminded for that place in the future ([#1215])
+* Improves relative path calculation for sourcemap generation to avoid issues with Windows UNC paths. ([#1217])
+
+[#1176]: https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/pull/1176
 [#1179]: https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/pull/1179
+[#1187]: https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/pull/1187
+[#1192]: https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/pull/1192
+[#1199]: https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/pull/1199
+[#1201]: https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/pull/1201
+[#1211]: https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/pull/1211
+[#1215]: https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/pull/1215
+[#1217]: https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/pull/1217
 
 ## [7.7.0-rc.1] (November 27th, 2025)
 

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ Code contributions are welcome for features and bugs that have been reported in
 You'll want these tools to work on Rojo:
 
 * Latest stable Rust compiler
+  * Rustfmt and Clippy are used for code formatting and linting.
 * Latest stable [Rojo](https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo)
 * [Rokit](https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rokit)
 * [Luau Language Server](https://github.com/JohnnyMorganz/luau-lsp) (Only needed if working on the Studio plugin.)

Cargo.lock

@@ -1319,6 +1319,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "fs-err",
  "notify",
  "serde",
+ "tempfile",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1519,6 +1520,12 @@ version = "1.0.15"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "57c0d7b74b563b49d38dae00a0c37d4d6de9b432382b2892f0574ddcae73fd0a"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "pathdiff"
+version = "0.2.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "df94ce210e5bc13cb6651479fa48d14f601d9858cfe0467f43ae157023b938d3"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "percent-encoding"
 version = "2.3.2"
@@ -2067,6 +2074,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "num_cpus",
  "opener",
  "paste",
+ "pathdiff",
  "pretty_assertions",
  "profiling",
  "rayon",
@@ -2077,10 +2085,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "rbx_xml",
  "reqwest",
  "ritz",
+ "rmp-serde",
  "roblox_install",
  "rojo-insta-ext",
  "semver",
  "serde",
+ "serde_bytes",
  "serde_json",
  "serde_yaml",
  "strum",
@@ -2221,6 +2231,16 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_derive",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "serde_bytes"
+version = "0.11.19"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a5d440709e79d88e51ac01c4b72fc6cb7314017bb7da9eeff678aa94c10e3ea8"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+ "serde_core",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_cbor"
 version = "0.11.2"

Cargo.toml

@@ -100,10 +100,13 @@ clap = { version = "3.2.25", features = ["derive"] }
 profiling = "1.0.15"
 yaml-rust2 = "0.10.3"
 data-encoding = "2.8.0"
+pathdiff = "0.2.3"
 
 blake3 = "1.5.0"
 float-cmp = "0.9.0"
 indexmap = { version = "2.10.0", features = ["serde"] }
+rmp-serde = "1.3.0"
+serde_bytes = "0.11.19"
 
 [target.'cfg(windows)'.dependencies]
 winreg = "0.10.1"
@@ -122,7 +125,7 @@ semver = "1.0.22"
 rojo-insta-ext = { path = "crates/rojo-insta-ext" }
 
 criterion = "0.3.6"
-insta = { version = "1.36.1", features = ["redactions", "yaml"] }
+insta = { version = "1.36.1", features = ["redactions", "yaml", "json"] }
 paste = "1.0.14"
 pretty_assertions = "1.4.0"
 serde_yaml = "0.8.26"

build.rs

@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ fn snapshot_from_fs_path(path: &Path) -> io::Result<VfsSnapshot> {
                 continue;
             }
 
+            // Ignore images in msgpack-luau because they aren't UTF-8 encoded.
+            if file_name.ends_with(".png") {
+                continue;
+            }
+
             let child_snapshot = snapshot_from_fs_path(&entry.path())?;
             children.push((file_name, child_snapshot));
         }

crates/memofs/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # memofs Changelog
 
 ## Unreleased Changes
+* Added `Vfs::canonicalize`. [#1201]
 
 ## 0.3.1 (2025-11-27)
 * Added `Vfs::exists`. [#1169]

crates/memofs/Cargo.toml

@@ -19,3 +19,6 @@ crossbeam-channel = "0.5.12"
 fs-err = "2.11.0"
 notify = "4.0.17"
 serde = { version = "1.0.197", features = ["derive"] }
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+tempfile = "3.10.1"

crates/memofs/src/in_memory_fs.rs

@@ -232,6 +232,33 @@ impl VfsBackend for InMemoryFs {
         }
     }
 
+    // TODO: We rely on Rojo to prepend cwd to any relative path before storing paths
+    // in MemoFS. The current implementation will error if no prepended absolute path
+    // is found. It really only normalizes paths within the provided path's context.
+    // Example: "/Users/username/project/../other/file.txt" ->
+    // "/Users/username/other/file.txt"
+    // Erroneous example: "/Users/../../other/file.txt" -> "/other/file.txt"
+    // This is not very robust. We should implement proper path normalization here or otherwise
+    // warn if we are missing context and can not fully canonicalize the path correctly.
+    fn canonicalize(&mut self, path: &Path) -> io::Result<PathBuf> {
+        let mut normalized = PathBuf::new();
+        for component in path.components() {
+            match component {
+                std::path::Component::ParentDir => {
+                    normalized.pop();
+                }
+                std::path::Component::CurDir => {}
+                _ => normalized.push(component),
+            }
+        }
+
+        let inner = self.inner.lock().unwrap();
+        match inner.entries.get(&normalized) {
+            Some(_) => Ok(normalized),
+            None => not_found(&normalized),
+        }
+    }
+
     fn event_receiver(&self) -> crossbeam_channel::Receiver<VfsEvent> {
         let inner = self.inner.lock().unwrap();
 

crates/memofs/src/lib.rs

@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ pub trait VfsBackend: sealed::Sealed + Send + 'static {
     fn metadata(&mut self, path: &Path) -> io::Result<Metadata>;
     fn remove_file(&mut self, path: &Path) -> io::Result<()>;
     fn remove_dir_all(&mut self, path: &Path) -> io::Result<()>;
+    fn canonicalize(&mut self, path: &Path) -> io::Result<PathBuf>;
 
     fn event_receiver(&self) -> crossbeam_channel::Receiver<VfsEvent>;
     fn watch(&mut self, path: &Path) -> io::Result<()>;
@@ -225,6 +226,11 @@ impl VfsInner {
         self.backend.metadata(path)
     }
 
+    fn canonicalize<P: AsRef<Path>>(&mut self, path: P) -> io::Result<PathBuf> {
+        let path = path.as_ref();
+        self.backend.canonicalize(path)
+    }
+
     fn event_receiver(&self) -> crossbeam_channel::Receiver<VfsEvent> {
         self.backend.event_receiver()
     }
@@ -413,6 +419,19 @@ impl Vfs {
         self.inner.lock().unwrap().metadata(path)
     }
 
+    /// Normalize a path via the underlying backend.
+    ///
+    /// Roughly equivalent to [`std::fs::canonicalize`][std::fs::canonicalize]. Relative paths are
+    /// resolved against the backend's current working directory (if applicable) and errors are
+    /// surfaced directly from the backend.
+    ///
+    /// [std::fs::canonicalize]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/stable/std/fs/fn.canonicalize.html
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn canonicalize<P: AsRef<Path>>(&self, path: P) -> io::Result<PathBuf> {
+        let path = path.as_ref();
+        self.inner.lock().unwrap().canonicalize(path)
+    }
+
     /// Retrieve a handle to the event receiver for this `Vfs`.
     #[inline]
     pub fn event_receiver(&self) -> crossbeam_channel::Receiver<VfsEvent> {
@@ -540,6 +559,13 @@ impl VfsLock<'_> {
         self.inner.metadata(path)
     }
 
+    /// Normalize a path via the underlying backend.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn normalize<P: AsRef<Path>>(&mut self, path: P) -> io::Result<PathBuf> {
+        let path = path.as_ref();
+        self.inner.canonicalize(path)
+    }
+
     /// Retrieve a handle to the event receiver for this `Vfs`.
     #[inline]
     pub fn event_receiver(&self) -> crossbeam_channel::Receiver<VfsEvent> {
@@ -555,7 +581,9 @@ impl VfsLock<'_> {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
-    use crate::{InMemoryFs, Vfs, VfsSnapshot};
+    use crate::{InMemoryFs, StdBackend, Vfs, VfsSnapshot};
+    use std::io;
+    use std::path::PathBuf;
 
     /// https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/issues/899
     #[test]
@@ -571,4 +599,62 @@ mod test {
             "bar\nfoo\n\n"
         );
     }
+
+    /// https://github.com/rojo-rbx/rojo/issues/1200
+    #[test]
+    fn canonicalize_in_memory_success() {
+        let mut imfs = InMemoryFs::new();
+        let contents = "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.".to_string();
+
+        imfs.load_snapshot("/test/file.txt", VfsSnapshot::file(contents.to_string()))
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let vfs = Vfs::new(imfs);
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            vfs.canonicalize("/test/nested/../file.txt").unwrap(),
+            PathBuf::from("/test/file.txt")
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            vfs.read_to_string(vfs.canonicalize("/test/nested/../file.txt").unwrap())
+                .unwrap()
+                .to_string(),
+            contents.to_string()
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn canonicalize_in_memory_missing_errors() {
+        let imfs = InMemoryFs::new();
+        let vfs = Vfs::new(imfs);
+
+        let err = vfs.canonicalize("test").unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(err.kind(), io::ErrorKind::NotFound);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn canonicalize_std_backend_success() {
+        let contents = "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.".to_string();
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let file_path = dir.path().join("file.txt");
+        fs_err::write(&file_path, contents.to_string()).unwrap();
+
+        let vfs = Vfs::new(StdBackend::new());
+        let canonicalized = vfs.canonicalize(&file_path).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(canonicalized, file_path.canonicalize().unwrap());
+        assert_eq!(
+            vfs.read_to_string(&canonicalized).unwrap().to_string(),
+            contents.to_string()
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn canonicalize_std_backend_missing_errors() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let file_path = dir.path().join("test");
+
+        let vfs = Vfs::new(StdBackend::new());
+        let err = vfs.canonicalize(&file_path).unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(err.kind(), io::ErrorKind::NotFound);
+    }
 }

crates/memofs/src/noop_backend.rs

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use std::io;
-use std::path::Path;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
 use crate::{Metadata, ReadDir, VfsBackend, VfsEvent};
 
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ impl VfsBackend for NoopBackend {
         Err(io::Error::other("NoopBackend doesn't do anything"))
     }
 
+    fn canonicalize(&mut self, _path: &Path) -> io::Result<PathBuf> {
+        Err(io::Error::other("NoopBackend doesn't do anything"))
+    }
+
     fn event_receiver(&self) -> crossbeam_channel::Receiver<VfsEvent> {
         crossbeam_channel::never()
     }

crates/memofs/src/std_backend.rs

@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@ impl VfsBackend for StdBackend {
         })
     }
 
+    fn canonicalize(&mut self, path: &Path) -> io::Result<PathBuf> {
+        fs_err::canonicalize(path)
+    }
+
     fn event_receiver(&self) -> crossbeam_channel::Receiver<VfsEvent> {
         self.watcher_receiver.clone()
     }

plugin/http/Response.lua

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 local HttpService = game:GetService("HttpService")
 
+local msgpack = require(script.Parent.Parent.msgpack)
+
 local stringTemplate = [[
 Http.Response {
 	code: %d
@@ -31,4 +33,8 @@ function Response:json()
 	return HttpService:JSONDecode(self.body)
 end
 
+function Response:msgpack()
+	return msgpack.decode(self.body)
+end
+
 return Response

plugin/http/init.lua

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 local HttpService = game:GetService("HttpService")
 
-local Promise = require(script.Parent.Promise)
 local Log = require(script.Parent.Log)
+local msgpack = require(script.Parent.msgpack)
+local Promise = require(script.Parent.Promise)
 
 local HttpError = require(script.Error)
 local HttpResponse = require(script.Response)
@@ -68,4 +69,12 @@ function Http.jsonDecode(source)
 	return HttpService:JSONDecode(source)
 end
 
+function Http.msgpackEncode(object)
+	return msgpack.encode(object)
+end
+
+function Http.msgpackDecode(source)
+	return msgpack.decode(source)
+end
+
 return Http

plugin/src/ApiContext.lua

@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ function ApiContext:connect()
 
 	return Http.get(url)
 		:andThen(rejectFailedRequests)
-		:andThen(Http.Response.json)
+		:andThen(Http.Response.msgpack)
 		:andThen(rejectWrongProtocolVersion)
 		:andThen(function(body)
 			assert(validateApiInfo(body))
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ end
 function ApiContext:read(ids)
 	local url = ("%s/api/read/%s"):format(self.__baseUrl, table.concat(ids, ","))
 
-	return Http.get(url):andThen(rejectFailedRequests):andThen(Http.Response.json):andThen(function(body)
+	return Http.get(url):andThen(rejectFailedRequests):andThen(Http.Response.msgpack):andThen(function(body)
 		if body.sessionId ~= self.__sessionId then
 			return Promise.reject("Server changed ID")
 		end
@@ -191,9 +191,9 @@ function ApiContext:write(patch)
 		table.insert(updated, fixedUpdate)
 	end
 
-	-- Only add the 'added' field if the table is non-empty, or else Roblox's
-	-- JSON implementation will turn the table into an array instead of an
-	-- object, causing API validation to fail.
+	-- Only add the 'added' field if the table is non-empty, or else the msgpack
+	-- encode implementation will turn the table into an array instead of a map,
+	-- causing API validation to fail.
 	local added
 	if next(patch.added) ~= nil then
 		added = patch.added
@@ -206,13 +206,16 @@ function ApiContext:write(patch)
 		added = added,
 	}
 
-	body = Http.jsonEncode(body)
+	body = Http.msgpackEncode(body)
 
-	return Http.post(url, body):andThen(rejectFailedRequests):andThen(Http.Response.json):andThen(function(responseBody)
-		Log.info("Write response: {:?}", responseBody)
+	return Http.post(url, body)
+		:andThen(rejectFailedRequests)
+		:andThen(Http.Response.msgpack)
+		:andThen(function(responseBody)
+			Log.info("Write response: {:?}", responseBody)
 
-		return responseBody
-	end)
+			return responseBody
+		end)
 end
 
 function ApiContext:connectWebSocket(packetHandlers)
@@ -234,7 +237,7 @@ function ApiContext:connectWebSocket(packetHandlers)
 		local closed, errored, received
 
 		received = self.__wsClient.MessageReceived:Connect(function(msg)
-			local data = Http.jsonDecode(msg)
+			local data = Http.msgpackDecode(msg)
 			if data.sessionId ~= self.__sessionId then
 				Log.warn("Received message with wrong session ID; ignoring")
 				return
@@ -280,7 +283,7 @@ end
 function ApiContext:open(id)
 	local url = ("%s/api/open/%s"):format(self.__baseUrl, id)
 
-	return Http.post(url, ""):andThen(rejectFailedRequests):andThen(Http.Response.json):andThen(function(body)
+	return Http.post(url, ""):andThen(rejectFailedRequests):andThen(Http.Response.msgpack):andThen(function(body)
 		if body.sessionId ~= self.__sessionId then
 			return Promise.reject("Server changed ID")
 		end
@@ -290,31 +293,39 @@ function ApiContext:open(id)
 end
 
 function ApiContext:serialize(ids: { string })
-	local url = ("%s/api/serialize/%s"):format(self.__baseUrl, table.concat(ids, ","))
+	local url = ("%s/api/serialize"):format(self.__baseUrl)
+	local request_body = Http.msgpackEncode({ sessionId = self.__sessionId, ids = ids })
 
-	return Http.get(url):andThen(rejectFailedRequests):andThen(Http.Response.json):andThen(function(body)
-		if body.sessionId ~= self.__sessionId then
-			return Promise.reject("Server changed ID")
-		end
+	return Http.post(url, request_body)
+		:andThen(rejectFailedRequests)
+		:andThen(Http.Response.msgpack)
+		:andThen(function(response_body)
+			if response_body.sessionId ~= self.__sessionId then
+				return Promise.reject("Server changed ID")
+			end
 
-		assert(validateApiSerialize(body))
+			assert(validateApiSerialize(response_body))
 
-		return body
-	end)
+			return response_body
+		end)
 end
 
 function ApiContext:refPatch(ids: { string })
-	local url = ("%s/api/ref-patch/%s"):format(self.__baseUrl, table.concat(ids, ","))
+	local url = ("%s/api/ref-patch"):format(self.__baseUrl)
+	local request_body = Http.msgpackEncode({ sessionId = self.__sessionId, ids = ids })
 
-	return Http.get(url):andThen(rejectFailedRequests):andThen(Http.Response.json):andThen(function(body)
-		if body.sessionId ~= self.__sessionId then
-			return Promise.reject("Server changed ID")
-		end
+	return Http.post(url, request_body)
+		:andThen(rejectFailedRequests)
+		:andThen(Http.Response.msgpack)
+		:andThen(function(response_body)
+			if response_body.sessionId ~= self.__sessionId then
+				return Promise.reject("Server changed ID")
+			end
 
-		assert(validateApiRefPatch(body))
+			assert(validateApiRefPatch(response_body))
 
-		return body
-	end)
+			return response_body
+		end)
 end
 
 return ApiContext

plugin/src/App/Components/Notifications/FullscreenNotification.lua

@@ -19,9 +19,15 @@ local FullscreenNotification = Roact.Component:extend("FullscreeFullscreenNotifi
 function FullscreenNotification:init()
 	self.transparency, self.setTransparency = Roact.createBinding(0)
 	self.lifetime = self.props.timeout
+	self.dismissed = false
 end
 
 function FullscreenNotification:dismiss()
+	if self.dismissed then
+		return
+	end
+	self.dismissed = true
+
 	if self.props.onClose then
 		self.props.onClose()
 	end
@@ -59,7 +65,7 @@ function FullscreenNotification:didMount()
 end
 
 function FullscreenNotification:willUnmount()
-	if self.timeout and coroutine.status(self.timeout) ~= "dead" then
+	if self.timeout and coroutine.status(self.timeout) == "suspended" then
 		task.cancel(self.timeout)
 	end
 end

plugin/src/App/Components/Notifications/Notification.lua

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ function Notification:init()
 	self.binding = bindingUtil.fromMotor(self.motor)
 
 	self.lifetime = self.props.timeout
+	self.dismissed = false
 
 	self.motor:onStep(function(value)
 		if value <= 0 and self.props.onClose then
@@ -34,6 +35,11 @@ function Notification:init()
 end
 
 function Notification:dismiss()
+	if self.dismissed then
+		return
+	end
+	self.dismissed = true
+
 	self.motor:setGoal(Flipper.Spring.new(0, {
 		frequency = 5,
 		dampingRatio = 1,
@@ -75,7 +81,7 @@ function Notification:didMount()
 end
 
 function Notification:willUnmount()
-	if self.timeout and coroutine.status(self.timeout) ~= "dead" then
+	if self.timeout and coroutine.status(self.timeout) == "suspended" then
 		task.cancel(self.timeout)
 	end
 end

plugin/src/App/init.lua

@@ -301,6 +301,19 @@ function App:setPriorSyncInfo(host: string, port: string, projectName: string)
 	Settings:set("priorEndpoints", priorSyncInfos)
 end
 
+function App:forgetPriorSyncInfo()
+	local priorSyncInfos = Settings:get("priorEndpoints")
+	if not priorSyncInfos then
+		priorSyncInfos = {}
+	end
+
+	local id = tostring(game.PlaceId)
+	priorSyncInfos[id] = nil
+	Log.trace("Erased last used endpoint for {}", game.PlaceId)
+
+	Settings:set("priorEndpoints", priorSyncInfos)
+end
+
 function App:getHostAndPort()
 	local host = self.host:getValue()
 	local port = self.port:getValue()
@@ -435,7 +448,8 @@ function App:checkSyncReminder()
 	self:findActiveServer()
 		:andThen(function(serverInfo, host, port)
 			self:sendSyncReminder(
-				`Project '{serverInfo.projectName}' is serving at {host}:{port}.\nWould you like to connect?`
+				`Project '{serverInfo.projectName}' is serving at {host}:{port}.\nWould you like to connect?`,
+				{ "Connect", "Dismiss" }
 			)
 		end)
 		:catch(function()
@@ -446,7 +460,8 @@ function App:checkSyncReminder()
 
 				local timeSinceSync = timeUtil.elapsedToText(os.time() - priorSyncInfo.timestamp)
 				self:sendSyncReminder(
-					`You synced project '{priorSyncInfo.projectName}' to this place {timeSinceSync}.\nDid you mean to run 'rojo serve' and then connect?`
+					`You synced project '{priorSyncInfo.projectName}' to this place {timeSinceSync}.\nDid you mean to run 'rojo serve' and then connect?`,
+					{ "Connect", "Forget", "Dismiss" }
 				)
 			end
 		end)
@@ -486,12 +501,16 @@ function App:stopSyncReminderPolling()
 	end
 end
 
-function App:sendSyncReminder(message: string)
+function App:sendSyncReminder(message: string, shownActions: { string })
 	local syncReminderMode = Settings:get("syncReminderMode")
 	if syncReminderMode == "None" then
 		return
 	end
 
+	local connectIndex = table.find(shownActions, "Connect")
+	local forgetIndex = table.find(shownActions, "Forget")
+	local dismissIndex = table.find(shownActions, "Dismiss")
+
 	self.dismissSyncReminder = self:addNotification({
 		text = message,
 		timeout = 120,
@@ -500,24 +519,39 @@ function App:sendSyncReminder(message: string)
 			self.dismissSyncReminder = nil
 		end,
 		actions = {
-			Connect = {
-				text = "Connect",
-				style = "Solid",
-				layoutOrder = 1,
-				onClick = function()
-					self:startSession()
-				end,
-			},
-			Dismiss = {
-				text = "Dismiss",
-				style = "Bordered",
-				layoutOrder = 2,
-				onClick = function()
-					-- If the user dismisses the reminder,
-					-- then we don't need to remind them again
-					self:stopSyncReminderPolling()
-				end,
-			},
+			Connect = if connectIndex
+				then {
+					text = "Connect",
+					style = "Solid",
+					layoutOrder = connectIndex,
+					onClick = function()
+						self:startSession()
+					end,
+				}
+				else nil,
+			Forget = if forgetIndex
+				then {
+					text = "Forget",
+					style = "Bordered",
+					layoutOrder = forgetIndex,
+					onClick = function()
+						-- The user doesn't want to be reminded again about this sync
+						self:forgetPriorSyncInfo()
+					end,
+				}
+				else nil,
+			Dismiss = if dismissIndex
+				then {
+					text = "Dismiss",
+					style = "Bordered",
+					layoutOrder = dismissIndex,
+					onClick = function()
+						-- If the user dismisses the reminder,
+						-- then we don't need to remind them again
+						self:stopSyncReminderPolling()
+					end,
+				}
+				else nil,
 		},
 	})
 end

plugin/src/Reconciler/diff.lua

@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ local function trueEquals(a, b): boolean
 		end
 		return true
 
+	-- For NaN, check if both values are not equal to themselves
+	elseif a ~= a and b ~= b then
+		return true
+
 	-- For numbers, compare with epsilon of 0.0001 to avoid floating point inequality
 	elseif typeA == "number" and typeB == "number" then
 		return fuzzyEq(a, b, 0.0001)

plugin/src/Reconciler/reify.lua

@@ -41,14 +41,41 @@ function reifyInstanceInner(unappliedPatch, deferredRefs, instanceMap, virtualIn
 		invariant("Cannot reify an instance not present in virtualInstances\nID: {}", id)
 	end
 
-	-- Instance.new can fail if we're passing in something that can't be
-	-- created, like a service, something enabled with a feature flag, or
-	-- something that requires higher security than we have.
-	local createSuccess, instance = pcall(Instance.new, virtualInstance.ClassName)
+	-- Before creating a new instance, check if the parent already has an
+	-- untracked child with the same Name and ClassName. This enables "late
+	-- adoption" of instances that exist in Studio but weren't in the initial
+	-- Rojo tree (e.g., when using --git-since filtering). Without this,
+	-- newly acknowledged files would create duplicate instances.
+	local adoptedExisting = false
+	local instance = nil
 
-	if not createSuccess then
-		addAllToPatch(unappliedPatch, virtualInstances, id)
-		return
+	for _, child in ipairs(parentInstance:GetChildren()) do
+		local accessSuccess, name, className = pcall(function()
+			return child.Name, child.ClassName
+		end)
+
+		if accessSuccess
+			and name == virtualInstance.Name
+			and className == virtualInstance.ClassName
+			and instanceMap.fromInstances[child] == nil
+		then
+			instance = child
+			adoptedExisting = true
+			break
+		end
+	end
+
+	if not adoptedExisting then
+		-- Instance.new can fail if we're passing in something that can't be
+		-- created, like a service, something enabled with a feature flag, or
+		-- something that requires higher security than we have.
+		local createSuccess
+		createSuccess, instance = pcall(Instance.new, virtualInstance.ClassName)
+
+		if not createSuccess then
+			addAllToPatch(unappliedPatch, virtualInstances, id)
+			return
+		end
 	end
 
 	-- TODO: Can this fail? Previous versions of Rojo guarded against this, but
@@ -96,7 +123,9 @@ function reifyInstanceInner(unappliedPatch, deferredRefs, instanceMap, virtualIn
 		reifyInstanceInner(unappliedPatch, deferredRefs, instanceMap, virtualInstances, childId, instance)
 	end
 
-	instance.Parent = parentInstance
+	if not adoptedExisting then
+		instance.Parent = parentInstance
+	end
 	instanceMap:insert(id, instance)
 end
 

rojo-test/build-test-snapshots/end_to_end__tests__build__json_model_legacy_name.snap

@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
----
-source: tests/tests/build.rs
-expression: contents
----
-<roblox version="4">
-  <Item class="Folder" referent="0">
-    <Properties>
-      <string name="Name">json_model_legacy_name</string>
-    </Properties>
-    <Item class="Folder" referent="1">
-      <Properties>
-        <string name="Name">Expected Name</string>
-      </Properties>
-    </Item>
-  </Item>
-</roblox>

rojo-test/build-test-snapshots/end_to_end__tests__build__model_json_name_input.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+---
+source: tests/tests/build.rs
+assertion_line: 109
+expression: contents
+---
+<roblox version="4">
+  <Item class="DataModel" referent="0">
+    <Properties>
+      <string name="Name">model_json_name_input</string>
+    </Properties>
+    <Item class="Workspace" referent="1">
+      <Properties>
+        <string name="Name">Workspace</string>
+        <bool name="NeedsPivotMigration">false</bool>
+      </Properties>
+      <Item class="StringValue" referent="2">
+        <Properties>
+          <string name="Name">/Bar</string>
+        </Properties>
+      </Item>
+    </Item>
+  </Item>
+</roblox>

rojo-test/build-test-snapshots/end_to_end__tests__build__slugified_name_roundtrip.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+---
+source: tests/tests/build.rs
+assertion_line: 108
+expression: contents
+---
+<roblox version="4">
+  <Item class="Folder" referent="0">
+    <Properties>
+      <string name="Name">slugified_name_roundtrip</string>
+    </Properties>
+    <Item class="Script" referent="1">
+      <Properties>
+        <string name="Name">/Script</string>
+        <token name="RunContext">0</token>
+        <string name="Source"><![CDATA[print("Hello world!")
+]]></string>
+      </Properties>
+    </Item>
+  </Item>
+</roblox>

rojo-test/build-tests/json_model_legacy_name/default.project.json

@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "json_model_legacy_name",
-  "tree": {
-    "$path": "folder"
-  }
-}

rojo-test/build-tests/json_model_legacy_name/folder/Expected Name.model.json

@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "Name": "Overridden Name",
-  "ClassName": "Folder"
-}

rojo-test/build-tests/model_json_name_input/default.project.json

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "name": "model_json_name_input",
+  "tree": {
+    "$className": "DataModel",
+    "Workspace": {
+      "$className": "Workspace",
+      "$path": "src"
+    }
+  }
+}
+

rojo-test/build-tests/model_json_name_input/src/Bar.model.json

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "name": "/Bar",
+  "className": "StringValue"
+}
+

rojo-test/build-tests/slugified_name_roundtrip/_Script/init.meta.json

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "name": "/Script"
+}
+

rojo-test/build-tests/slugified_name_roundtrip/_Script/init.server.luau

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+print("Hello world!")
+

rojo-test/build-tests/slugified_name_roundtrip/default.project.json

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "name": "slugified_name_roundtrip",
+  "tree": {
+    "$path": "src"
+  }
+}

rojo-test/build-tests/slugified_name_roundtrip/src/_Script/init.meta.json

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "name": "/Script"
+}

rojo-test/build-tests/slugified_name_roundtrip/src/_Script/init.server.luau

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+print("Hello world!")

rojo-test/syncback-test-snapshots/end_to_end__rojo_test__syncback_util__model_json_name-stdout.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+source: tests/rojo_test/syncback_util.rs
+assertion_line: 101
+expression: "String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout)"
+---
+

rojo-test/syncback-test-snapshots/end_to_end__rojo_test__syncback_util__slugified_name-stdout.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+source: tests/rojo_test/syncback_util.rs
+assertion_line: 101
+expression: "String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout)"
+---
+Writing default.project.json
+Writing src/Camera.rbxm
+Writing src/Terrain.rbxm
+Writing src/_Folder/init.meta.json
+Writing src/_Script.meta.json
+Writing src/_Script.server.luau
+Writing src
+Writing src/_Folder

rojo-test/syncback-test-snapshots/end_to_end__tests__syncback__model_json_name-src__foo.model.json.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+source: tests/tests/syncback.rs
+assertion_line: 31
+expression: src/foo.model.json
+---
+{
+  "name": "/Bar",
+  "className": "StringValue"
+}

rojo-test/syncback-test-snapshots/end_to_end__tests__syncback__slugified_name-src___Folder.model.json.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+source: tests/tests/syncback.rs
+assertion_line: 31
+expression: src/_Folder.model.json
+---
+{
+  "className": "Folder"
+}

rojo-test/syncback-test-snapshots/end_to_end__tests__syncback__slugified_name-src___Folder__init.meta.json.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+source: tests/tests/syncback.rs
+assertion_line: 31
+expression: src/_Folder/init.meta.json
+---
+{
+  "name": "/Folder"
+}

rojo-test/syncback-test-snapshots/end_to_end__tests__syncback__slugified_name-src___Script.meta.json.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+source: tests/tests/syncback.rs
+assertion_line: 31
+expression: src/_Script.meta.json
+---
+{
+  "name": "/Script"
+}

rojo-test/syncback-test-snapshots/end_to_end__tests__syncback__slugified_name-src___Script.server.luau.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+source: tests/tests/syncback.rs
+assertion_line: 31
+expression: src/_Script.server.luau
+---
+print("Hello world!")

rojo-test/syncback-test-snapshots/end_to_end__tests__syncback__slugified_name-src___Script__init.meta.json.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+source: tests/tests/syncback.rs
+assertion_line: 31
+expression: src/_Script/init.meta.json
+---
+{
+  "name": "/Script"
+}

rojo-test/syncback-test-snapshots/end_to_end__tests__syncback__slugified_name-src___Script__init.server.luau.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+source: tests/tests/syncback.rs
+assertion_line: 31
+expression: src/_Script/init.server.luau
+---
+print("Hello world!")

rojo-test/syncback-tests/model_json_name/input-project/default.project.json

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "name": "model_json_name",
+  "tree": {
+    "$className": "DataModel",
+    "Workspace": {
+      "$className": "Workspace",
+      "$path": "src"
+    }
+  }
+}
+

rojo-test/syncback-tests/model_json_name/input-project/src/foo.model.json

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "name": "/Bar",
+  "className": "StringValue"
+}
+

rojo-test/syncback-tests/slugified_name/input-project/default.project.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "name": "slugified_name",
+  "tree": {
+    "$className": "DataModel",
+    "Workspace": {
+      "$className": "Workspace",
+      "$path": "src"
+    }
+  }
+}

src/change_processor.rs

@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-use std::{
-    fs,
-    sync::{Arc, Mutex},
-};
-
 use crossbeam_channel::{select, Receiver, RecvError, Sender};
 use jod_thread::JoinHandle;
 use memofs::{IoResultExt, Vfs, VfsEvent};
 use rbx_dom_weak::types::{Ref, Variant};
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::{
+    fs,
+    sync::{Arc, Mutex},
+};
 
 use crate::{
     git::SharedGitFilter,
@@ -124,6 +124,49 @@ struct JobThreadContext {
 }
 
 impl JobThreadContext {
+    /// Computes and applies patches to the DOM for a given file path.
+    ///
+    /// This function finds the nearest ancestor to the given path that has associated instances
+    /// in the tree.
+    /// It then computes and applies changes for each affected instance ID and
+    /// returns a vector of applied patch sets.
+    fn apply_patches(&self, path: PathBuf) -> Vec<AppliedPatchSet> {
+        let mut tree = self.tree.lock().unwrap();
+        let mut applied_patches = Vec::new();
+
+        // Find the nearest ancestor to this path that has
+        // associated instances in the tree. This helps make sure
+        // that we handle additions correctly, especially if we
+        // receive events for descendants of a large tree being
+        // created all at once.
+        let mut current_path = path.as_path();
+        let affected_ids = loop {
+            let ids = tree.get_ids_at_path(current_path);
+
+            log::trace!("Path {} affects IDs {:?}", current_path.display(), ids);
+
+            if !ids.is_empty() {
+                break ids.to_vec();
+            }
+
+            log::trace!("Trying parent path...");
+            match current_path.parent() {
+                Some(parent) => current_path = parent,
+                None => break Vec::new(),
+            }
+        };
+
+        for id in affected_ids {
+            if let Some(patch) = compute_and_apply_changes(&mut tree, &self.vfs, id) {
+                if !patch.is_empty() {
+                    applied_patches.push(patch);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        applied_patches
+    }
+
     fn handle_vfs_event(&self, event: VfsEvent) {
         log::trace!("Vfs event: {:?}", event);
 
@@ -143,54 +186,16 @@ impl JobThreadContext {
         // For a given VFS event, we might have many changes to different parts
         // of the tree. Calculate and apply all of these changes.
         let applied_patches = match event {
-            VfsEvent::Create(path) | VfsEvent::Remove(path) | VfsEvent::Write(path) => {
-                let mut tree = self.tree.lock().unwrap();
-                let mut applied_patches = Vec::new();
-
-                // Find the nearest ancestor to this path that has
-                // associated instances in the tree. This helps make sure
-                // that we handle additions correctly, especially if we
-                // receive events for descendants of a large tree being
-                // created all at once.
-                let mut current_path = path.as_path();
-                let affected_ids = loop {
-                    let ids = tree.get_ids_at_path(current_path);
-
-                    log::trace!("Path {} affects IDs {:?}", current_path.display(), ids);
-
-                    if !ids.is_empty() {
-                        break ids.to_vec();
-                    }
-
-                    log::trace!("Trying parent path...");
-                    match current_path.parent() {
-                        Some(parent) => current_path = parent,
-                        None => break Vec::new(),
-                    }
-                };
-
-                if affected_ids.is_empty() {
-                    log::debug!(
-                        "No instances found for path {} or any of its ancestors",
-                        path.display()
-                    );
-                } else {
-                    log::debug!(
-                        "Found {} affected instances for path {}",
-                        affected_ids.len(),
-                        path.display()
-                    );
-                }
-
-                for id in affected_ids {
-                    if let Some(patch) = compute_and_apply_changes(&mut tree, &self.vfs, id) {
-                        if !patch.is_empty() {
-                            applied_patches.push(patch);
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-
-                applied_patches
+            VfsEvent::Create(path) | VfsEvent::Write(path) => {
+                self.apply_patches(self.vfs.canonicalize(&path).unwrap())
+            }
+            VfsEvent::Remove(path) => {
+                // MemoFS does not track parent removals yet, so we can canonicalize
+                // the parent path safely and then append the removed path's file name.
+                let parent = path.parent().unwrap();
+                let file_name = path.file_name().unwrap();
+                let parent_normalized = self.vfs.canonicalize(parent).unwrap();
+                self.apply_patches(parent_normalized.join(file_name))
             }
             _ => {
                 log::warn!("Unhandled VFS event: {:?}", event);

src/cli/snapshots/librojo__cli__sourcemap__test__maps_absolute_paths.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+---
+source: src/cli/sourcemap.rs
+expression: sourcemap_contents
+---
+{
+  "name": "default",
+  "className": "DataModel",
+  "filePaths": "[...1 path omitted...]",
+  "children": [
+    {
+      "name": "ReplicatedStorage",
+      "className": "ReplicatedStorage",
+      "children": [
+        {
+          "name": "Project",
+          "className": "ModuleScript",
+          "filePaths": "[...1 path omitted...]",
+          "children": [
+            {
+              "name": "Module",
+              "className": "Folder",
+              "children": [
+                {
+                  "name": "module",
+                  "className": "ModuleScript",
+                  "filePaths": "[...1 path omitted...]"
+                }
+              ]
+            }
+          ]
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}

src/cli/snapshots/librojo__cli__sourcemap__test__maps_relative_paths.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+---
+source: src/cli/sourcemap.rs
+expression: sourcemap_contents
+---
+{
+  "name": "default",
+  "className": "DataModel",
+  "filePaths": [
+    "default.project.json"
+  ],
+  "children": [
+    {
+      "name": "ReplicatedStorage",
+      "className": "ReplicatedStorage",
+      "children": [
+        {
+          "name": "Project",
+          "className": "ModuleScript",
+          "filePaths": [
+            "src/init.luau"
+          ],
+          "children": [
+            {
+              "name": "Module",
+              "className": "Folder",
+              "children": [
+                {
+                  "name": "module",
+                  "className": "ModuleScript",
+                  "filePaths": [
+                    "../module/module.luau"
+                  ]
+                }
+              ]
+            }
+          ]
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}

src/cli/sourcemap.rs

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use fs_err::File;
 use memofs::Vfs;
 use rayon::prelude::*;
 use rbx_dom_weak::{types::Ref, Ustr};
-use serde::Serialize;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use tokio::runtime::Runtime;
 
 use crate::{
@@ -24,19 +24,20 @@ const PATH_STRIP_FAILED_ERR: &str = "Failed to create relative paths for project
 const ABSOLUTE_PATH_FAILED_ERR: &str = "Failed to turn relative path into absolute path!";
 
 /// Representation of a node in the generated sourcemap tree.
-#[derive(Serialize)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 struct SourcemapNode<'a> {
     name: &'a str,
     class_name: Ustr,
 
     #[serde(
+        default,
         skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty",
         serialize_with = "crate::path_serializer::serialize_vec_absolute"
     )]
     file_paths: Vec<Cow<'a, Path>>,
 
-    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
     children: Vec<SourcemapNode<'a>>,
 }
 
@@ -70,12 +71,13 @@ pub struct SourcemapCommand {
 
 impl SourcemapCommand {
     pub fn run(self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-        let project_path = resolve_path(&self.project);
+        let project_path = fs_err::canonicalize(resolve_path(&self.project))?;
 
-        log::trace!("Constructing in-memory filesystem");
+        log::trace!("Constructing filesystem with StdBackend");
         let vfs = Vfs::new_default();
         vfs.set_watch_enabled(self.watch);
 
+        log::trace!("Setting up session for sourcemap generation");
         let session = ServeSession::new(vfs, project_path, None)?;
         let mut cursor = session.message_queue().cursor();
 
@@ -87,14 +89,17 @@ impl SourcemapCommand {
 
         // Pre-build a rayon threadpool with a low number of threads to avoid
         // dynamic creation overhead on systems with a high number of cpus.
+        log::trace!("Setting rayon global threadpool");
         rayon::ThreadPoolBuilder::new()
             .num_threads(num_cpus::get().min(6))
             .build_global()
-            .unwrap();
+            .ok();
 
+        log::trace!("Writing initial sourcemap");
         write_sourcemap(&session, self.output.as_deref(), filter, self.absolute)?;
 
         if self.watch {
+            log::trace!("Setting up runtime for watch mode");
             let rt = Runtime::new().unwrap();
 
             loop {
@@ -208,7 +213,7 @@ fn recurse_create_node<'a>(
     } else {
         for val in file_paths {
             output_file_paths.push(Cow::from(
-                val.strip_prefix(project_dir).expect(PATH_STRIP_FAILED_ERR),
+                pathdiff::diff_paths(val, project_dir).expect(PATH_STRIP_FAILED_ERR),
             ));
         }
     };
@@ -250,3 +255,80 @@ fn write_sourcemap(
 
     Ok(())
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use crate::cli::sourcemap::SourcemapNode;
+    use crate::cli::SourcemapCommand;
+    use insta::internals::Content;
+    use std::path::Path;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn maps_relative_paths() {
+        let sourcemap_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let sourcemap_output = sourcemap_dir.path().join("sourcemap.json");
+        let project_path = fs_err::canonicalize(
+            Path::new(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"))
+                .join("test-projects")
+                .join("relative_paths")
+                .join("project"),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        let sourcemap_command = SourcemapCommand {
+            project: project_path,
+            output: Some(sourcemap_output.clone()),
+            include_non_scripts: false,
+            watch: false,
+            absolute: false,
+        };
+        assert!(sourcemap_command.run().is_ok());
+
+        let raw_sourcemap_contents = fs_err::read_to_string(sourcemap_output.as_path()).unwrap();
+        let sourcemap_contents =
+            serde_json::from_str::<SourcemapNode>(&raw_sourcemap_contents).unwrap();
+        insta::assert_json_snapshot!(sourcemap_contents);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn maps_absolute_paths() {
+        let sourcemap_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let sourcemap_output = sourcemap_dir.path().join("sourcemap.json");
+        let project_path = fs_err::canonicalize(
+            Path::new(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"))
+                .join("test-projects")
+                .join("relative_paths")
+                .join("project"),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        let sourcemap_command = SourcemapCommand {
+            project: project_path,
+            output: Some(sourcemap_output.clone()),
+            include_non_scripts: false,
+            watch: false,
+            absolute: true,
+        };
+        assert!(sourcemap_command.run().is_ok());
+
+        let raw_sourcemap_contents = fs_err::read_to_string(sourcemap_output.as_path()).unwrap();
+        let sourcemap_contents =
+            serde_json::from_str::<SourcemapNode>(&raw_sourcemap_contents).unwrap();
+        insta::assert_json_snapshot!(sourcemap_contents, {
+            ".**.filePaths" => insta::dynamic_redaction(|mut value, _path| {
+                let mut paths_count = 0;
+
+                match value {
+                    Content::Seq(ref mut vec) => {
+                        for path in vec.iter().map(|i| i.as_str().unwrap()) {
+                            assert_eq!(fs_err::canonicalize(path).is_ok(), true, "path was not valid");
+                            assert_eq!(Path::new(path).is_absolute(), true, "path was not absolute");
+
+                            paths_count += 1;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    _ => panic!("Expected filePaths to be a sequence"),
+                }
+                format!("[...{} path{} omitted...]", paths_count, if paths_count != 1 { "s" } else { "" } )
+            })
+        });
+    }
+}

src/cli/syncback.rs

@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ pub struct SyncbackCommand {
     /// If provided, the prompt for writing to the file system is skipped.
     #[clap(long, short = 'y')]
     pub non_interactive: bool,
+
+    /// If provided, forces syncback to use JSON model files instead of binary
+    /// .rbxm files for instances that would otherwise serialize as binary.
+    #[clap(long)]
+    pub dangerously_force_json: bool,
 }
 
 impl SyncbackCommand {
@@ -104,6 +109,7 @@ impl SyncbackCommand {
             &mut dom_old,
             dom_new,
             session_old.root_project(),
+            self.dangerously_force_json,
         )?;
         log::debug!(
             "Syncback finished in {:.02}s!",

src/snapshot/metadata.rs

@@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ pub struct InstanceMetadata {
     /// A schema provided via a JSON file, if one exists. Will be `None` for
     /// all non-JSON middleware.
     pub schema: Option<String>,
+
+    /// A custom name specified via meta.json or model.json files. If present,
+    /// this name will be used for the instance while the filesystem name will
+    /// be slugified to remove illegal characters.
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub specified_name: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl InstanceMetadata {
@@ -83,6 +89,7 @@ impl InstanceMetadata {
             specified_id: None,
             middleware: None,
             schema: None,
+            specified_name: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -131,6 +138,13 @@ impl InstanceMetadata {
     pub fn schema(self, schema: Option<String>) -> Self {
         Self { schema, ..self }
     }
+
+    pub fn specified_name(self, specified_name: Option<String>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            specified_name,
+            ..self
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 impl Default for InstanceMetadata {

src/snapshot/patch_compute.rs

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use rbx_dom_weak::{
     ustr, HashMapExt as _, UstrMap, UstrSet,
 };
 
-use crate::{RojoRef, REF_POINTER_ATTRIBUTE_PREFIX};
+use crate::{variant_eq::variant_eq, RojoRef, REF_POINTER_ATTRIBUTE_PREFIX};
 
 use super::{
     patch::{PatchAdd, PatchSet, PatchUpdate},
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ fn compute_property_patches(
 
         match instance.properties().get(&name) {
             Some(instance_value) => {
-                if &snapshot_value != instance_value {
+                if !variant_eq(&snapshot_value, instance_value) {
                     changed_properties.insert(name, Some(snapshot_value));
                 }
             }

src/snapshot_middleware/csv.rs

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ pub fn snapshot_csv(
         .metadata(
             InstanceMetadata::new()
                 .instigating_source(path)
-                .relevant_paths(vec![path.to_path_buf()]),
+                .relevant_paths(vec![vfs.canonicalize(path)?]),
         );
 
     AdjacentMetadata::read_and_apply_all(vfs, path, name, &mut snapshot)?;
@@ -109,8 +109,29 @@ pub fn syncback_csv<'sync>(
 
         if !meta.is_empty() {
             let parent = snapshot.path.parent_err()?;
+            let meta_stem = snapshot.middleware
+                .and_then(|mw| {
+                    let ext = format!(".{}", crate::syncback::extension_for_middleware(mw));
+                    snapshot.path.file_name()
+                        .and_then(|n| n.to_str())
+                        .and_then(|s| s.strip_suffix(ext.as_str()))
+                        .map(str::to_owned)
+                })
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                    let name = &new_inst.name;
+                    let base = if crate::syncback::validate_file_name(name).is_err() {
+                        crate::syncback::slugify_name(name)
+                    } else {
+                        name.clone()
+                    };
+                    if base.to_lowercase() == "init" {
+                        format!("_{base}")
+                    } else {
+                        base
+                    }
+                });
             fs_snapshot.add_file(
-                parent.join(format!("{}.meta.json", new_inst.name)),
+                parent.join(format!("{meta_stem}.meta.json")),
                 serde_json::to_vec_pretty(&meta).context("cannot serialize metadata")?,
             )
         }

src/snapshot_middleware/dir.rs

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use memofs::{DirEntry, Vfs};
 
 use crate::{
     snapshot::{InstanceContext, InstanceMetadata, InstanceSnapshot, InstigatingSource},
-    syncback::{hash_instance, FsSnapshot, SyncbackReturn, SyncbackSnapshot},
+    syncback::{hash_instance, slugify_name, FsSnapshot, SyncbackReturn, SyncbackSnapshot},
 };
 
 use super::{meta_file::DirectoryMetadata, snapshot_from_vfs};
@@ -62,18 +62,19 @@ pub fn snapshot_dir_no_meta(
         }
     }
 
+    let normalized_path = vfs.canonicalize(path)?;
     let relevant_paths = vec![
-        path.to_path_buf(),
+        normalized_path.clone(),
         // TODO: We shouldn't need to know about Lua existing in this
         // middleware. Should we figure out a way for that function to add
         // relevant paths to this middleware?
-        path.join("init.lua"),
-        path.join("init.luau"),
-        path.join("init.server.lua"),
-        path.join("init.server.luau"),
-        path.join("init.client.lua"),
-        path.join("init.client.luau"),
-        path.join("init.csv"),
+        normalized_path.join("init.lua"),
+        normalized_path.join("init.luau"),
+        normalized_path.join("init.server.lua"),
+        normalized_path.join("init.server.luau"),
+        normalized_path.join("init.client.lua"),
+        normalized_path.join("init.client.luau"),
+        normalized_path.join("init.csv"),
     ];
 
     let snapshot = InstanceSnapshot::new()
@@ -133,12 +134,39 @@ pub fn syncback_dir_no_meta<'sync>(
     let mut children = Vec::new();
     let mut removed_children = Vec::new();
 
-    // We have to enforce unique child names for the file system.
-    let mut child_names = HashSet::with_capacity(new_inst.children().len());
+    // Build the old child map early so it can be used for deduplication below.
+    let mut old_child_map = HashMap::new();
+    if let Some(old_inst) = snapshot.old_inst() {
+        for child in old_inst.children() {
+            let inst = snapshot.get_old_instance(*child).unwrap();
+            old_child_map.insert(inst.name(), inst);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Enforce unique filesystem names. Uses actual on-disk names for existing
+    // children and resolved names (with init-prefix) for new ones.
+    let mut fs_child_names = HashSet::with_capacity(new_inst.children().len());
     let mut duplicate_set = HashSet::new();
     for child_ref in new_inst.children() {
         let child = snapshot.get_new_instance(*child_ref).unwrap();
-        if !child_names.insert(child.name.to_lowercase()) {
+        let fs_name = old_child_map
+            .get(child.name.as_str())
+            .and_then(|old| old.metadata().relevant_paths.first())
+            .and_then(|p| p.file_name())
+            .and_then(|n| n.to_str())
+            .map(|s| s.to_lowercase())
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                let slug = slugify_name(&child.name);
+                let slug_lower = slug.to_lowercase();
+                // Mirror name_for_inst's init-prefix.
+                if slug_lower == "init" {
+                    format!("_{slug_lower}")
+                } else {
+                    slug_lower
+                }
+            });
+
+        if !fs_child_names.insert(fs_name) {
             duplicate_set.insert(child.name.as_str());
         }
     }
@@ -152,13 +180,7 @@ pub fn syncback_dir_no_meta<'sync>(
         anyhow::bail!("Instance has more than 25 children with duplicate names");
     }
 
-    if let Some(old_inst) = snapshot.old_inst() {
-        let mut old_child_map = HashMap::with_capacity(old_inst.children().len());
-        for child in old_inst.children() {
-            let inst = snapshot.get_old_instance(*child).unwrap();
-            old_child_map.insert(inst.name(), inst);
-        }
-
+    if snapshot.old_inst().is_some() {
         for new_child_ref in new_inst.children() {
             let new_child = snapshot.get_new_instance(*new_child_ref).unwrap();
             if let Some(old_child) = old_child_map.remove(new_child.name.as_str()) {
@@ -224,6 +246,12 @@ pub fn syncback_dir_no_meta<'sync>(
 mod test {
     use super::*;
 
+    use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+    use crate::{
+        snapshot::{InstanceMetadata, InstanceSnapshot},
+        Project, RojoTree, SyncbackData, SyncbackSnapshot,
+    };
     use memofs::{InMemoryFs, VfsSnapshot};
 
     #[test]
@@ -260,4 +288,237 @@ mod test {
 
         insta::assert_yaml_snapshot!(instance_snapshot);
     }
+
+    fn make_project() -> Project {
+        serde_json::from_str(r#"{"tree": {"$className": "DataModel"}}"#).unwrap()
+    }
+
+    fn make_vfs() -> Vfs {
+        let mut imfs = InMemoryFs::new();
+        imfs.load_snapshot("/root", VfsSnapshot::empty_dir()).unwrap();
+        Vfs::new(imfs)
+    }
+
+    /// Two children whose Roblox names are identical when lowercased ("Alpha"
+    /// and "alpha") but live at different filesystem paths because of the
+    /// `name` property ("Beta/" and "Alpha/" respectively). The dedup check
+    /// must use the actual filesystem paths, not the raw Roblox names, to
+    /// avoid a false-positive duplicate error.
+    #[test]
+    fn syncback_no_false_duplicate_with_name_prop() {
+        use rbx_dom_weak::{InstanceBuilder, WeakDom};
+
+        // Old child A: Roblox name "Alpha", on disk at "/root/Beta"
+        //   (name property maps "Alpha" → "Beta" on the filesystem)
+        let old_child_a = InstanceSnapshot::new()
+            .name("Alpha")
+            .class_name("Folder")
+            .metadata(
+                InstanceMetadata::new()
+                    .instigating_source(PathBuf::from("/root/Beta"))
+                    .relevant_paths(vec![PathBuf::from("/root/Beta")]),
+            );
+        // Old child B: Roblox name "alpha", on disk at "/root/Alpha"
+        let old_child_b = InstanceSnapshot::new()
+            .name("alpha")
+            .class_name("Folder")
+            .metadata(
+                InstanceMetadata::new()
+                    .instigating_source(PathBuf::from("/root/Alpha"))
+                    .relevant_paths(vec![PathBuf::from("/root/Alpha")]),
+            );
+        let old_parent = InstanceSnapshot::new()
+            .name("Parent")
+            .class_name("Folder")
+            .children(vec![old_child_a, old_child_b])
+            .metadata(
+                InstanceMetadata::new()
+                    .instigating_source(PathBuf::from("/root"))
+                    .relevant_paths(vec![PathBuf::from("/root")]),
+            );
+        let old_tree = RojoTree::new(old_parent);
+
+        // New state: same two children in Roblox.
+        let mut new_tree = WeakDom::new(InstanceBuilder::new("ROOT"));
+        let new_parent = new_tree.insert(
+            new_tree.root_ref(),
+            InstanceBuilder::new("Folder").with_name("Parent"),
+        );
+        new_tree.insert(new_parent, InstanceBuilder::new("Folder").with_name("Alpha"));
+        new_tree.insert(new_parent, InstanceBuilder::new("Folder").with_name("alpha"));
+
+        let vfs = make_vfs();
+        let project = make_project();
+        let data = SyncbackData::for_test(&vfs, &old_tree, &new_tree, &project);
+        let snapshot = SyncbackSnapshot {
+            data,
+            old: Some(old_tree.get_root_id()),
+            new: new_parent,
+            path: PathBuf::from("/root"),
+            middleware: None,
+        };
+
+        let result = syncback_dir_no_meta(&snapshot);
+        assert!(
+            result.is_ok(),
+            "should not error when two children have the same lowercased Roblox \
+             name but map to distinct filesystem paths: {result:?}",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Two completely new children with the same non-init name would produce
+    /// the same filesystem entry and must be detected as a duplicate.
+    #[test]
+    fn syncback_detects_sibling_duplicate_names() {
+        use rbx_dom_weak::{InstanceBuilder, WeakDom};
+
+        let old_parent = InstanceSnapshot::new()
+            .name("Parent")
+            .class_name("Folder")
+            .metadata(
+                InstanceMetadata::new()
+                    .instigating_source(PathBuf::from("/root"))
+                    .relevant_paths(vec![PathBuf::from("/root")]),
+            );
+        let old_tree = RojoTree::new(old_parent);
+
+        let mut new_tree = WeakDom::new(InstanceBuilder::new("ROOT"));
+        let new_parent = new_tree.insert(
+            new_tree.root_ref(),
+            InstanceBuilder::new("Folder").with_name("Parent"),
+        );
+        // "Foo" is not a reserved name but two siblings named "Foo" still
+        // collide on disk.
+        new_tree.insert(new_parent, InstanceBuilder::new("Folder").with_name("Foo"));
+        new_tree.insert(new_parent, InstanceBuilder::new("Folder").with_name("Foo"));
+
+        let vfs = make_vfs();
+        let project = make_project();
+        let data = SyncbackData::for_test(&vfs, &old_tree, &new_tree, &project);
+        let snapshot = SyncbackSnapshot {
+            data,
+            old: Some(old_tree.get_root_id()),
+            new: new_parent,
+            path: PathBuf::from("/root"),
+            middleware: None,
+        };
+
+        let result = syncback_dir_no_meta(&snapshot);
+        assert!(
+            result.is_err(),
+            "should error when two new children would produce the same filesystem name",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// A new child named "Init" (as a ModuleScript) would naively become
+    /// "Init.luau", which case-insensitively matches the parent's reserved
+    /// "init.luau". Syncback must resolve this automatically by prefixing the
+    /// filesystem name with '_' (→ "_Init.luau") rather than erroring.
+    #[test]
+    fn syncback_resolves_init_name_conflict() {
+        use rbx_dom_weak::{InstanceBuilder, WeakDom};
+
+        let old_parent = InstanceSnapshot::new()
+            .name("Parent")
+            .class_name("Folder")
+            .metadata(
+                InstanceMetadata::new()
+                    .instigating_source(PathBuf::from("/root"))
+                    .relevant_paths(vec![PathBuf::from("/root")]),
+            );
+        let old_tree = RojoTree::new(old_parent);
+
+        let mut new_tree = WeakDom::new(InstanceBuilder::new("ROOT"));
+        let new_parent = new_tree.insert(
+            new_tree.root_ref(),
+            InstanceBuilder::new("Folder").with_name("Parent"),
+        );
+        new_tree.insert(
+            new_parent,
+            InstanceBuilder::new("ModuleScript").with_name("Init"),
+        );
+
+        let vfs = make_vfs();
+        let project = make_project();
+        let data = SyncbackData::for_test(&vfs, &old_tree, &new_tree, &project);
+        let snapshot = SyncbackSnapshot {
+            data,
+            old: Some(old_tree.get_root_id()),
+            new: new_parent,
+            path: PathBuf::from("/root"),
+            middleware: None,
+        };
+
+        let result = syncback_dir_no_meta(&snapshot);
+        assert!(
+            result.is_ok(),
+            "should resolve init-name conflict by prefixing '_', not error: {result:?}",
+        );
+        // The child should have been placed at "_Init.luau", not "Init.luau".
+        let child_file_name = result
+            .unwrap()
+            .children
+            .into_iter()
+            .next()
+            .and_then(|c| c.path.file_name().map(|n| n.to_string_lossy().into_owned()))
+            .unwrap_or_default();
+        assert!(
+            child_file_name.starts_with('_'),
+            "child filesystem name should start with '_' to avoid init collision, \
+             got: {child_file_name}",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// A child whose filesystem name is stored with a slugified prefix (e.g.
+    /// "_Init") must NOT be blocked — only the bare "init" stem is reserved.
+    #[test]
+    fn syncback_allows_slugified_init_name() {
+        use rbx_dom_weak::{InstanceBuilder, WeakDom};
+
+        // Existing child: on disk as "_Init" (slugified from a name with an
+        // illegal character), its stem is "_init" which is not reserved.
+        let old_child = InstanceSnapshot::new()
+            .name("Init")
+            .class_name("Folder")
+            .metadata(
+                InstanceMetadata::new()
+                    .instigating_source(PathBuf::from("/root/_Init"))
+                    .relevant_paths(vec![PathBuf::from("/root/_Init")]),
+            );
+        let old_parent = InstanceSnapshot::new()
+            .name("Parent")
+            .class_name("Folder")
+            .children(vec![old_child])
+            .metadata(
+                InstanceMetadata::new()
+                    .instigating_source(PathBuf::from("/root"))
+                    .relevant_paths(vec![PathBuf::from("/root")]),
+            );
+        let old_tree = RojoTree::new(old_parent);
+
+        let mut new_tree = WeakDom::new(InstanceBuilder::new("ROOT"));
+        let new_parent = new_tree.insert(
+            new_tree.root_ref(),
+            InstanceBuilder::new("Folder").with_name("Parent"),
+        );
+        new_tree.insert(new_parent, InstanceBuilder::new("Folder").with_name("Init"));
+
+        let vfs = make_vfs();
+        let project = make_project();
+        let data = SyncbackData::for_test(&vfs, &old_tree, &new_tree, &project);
+        let snapshot = SyncbackSnapshot {
+            data,
+            old: Some(old_tree.get_root_id()),
+            new: new_parent,
+            path: PathBuf::from("/root"),
+            middleware: None,
+        };
+
+        let result = syncback_dir_no_meta(&snapshot);
+        assert!(
+            result.is_ok(),
+            "should allow a child whose filesystem name is slugified away from \
+             the reserved 'init' stem: {result:?}",
+        );
+    }
 }

src/snapshot_middleware/json.rs

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ pub fn snapshot_json(
         .metadata(
             InstanceMetadata::new()
                 .instigating_source(path)
-                .relevant_paths(vec![path.to_path_buf()])
+                .relevant_paths(vec![vfs.canonicalize(path)?])
                 .context(context),
         );
 

src/snapshot_middleware/json_model.rs

@@ -35,20 +35,14 @@ pub fn snapshot_json_model(
         format!("File is not a valid JSON model: {}", path.display())
     })?;
 
-    if let Some(top_level_name) = &instance.name {
-        let new_name = format!("{}.model.json", top_level_name);
+    // If the JSON has a name property, preserve it in metadata for syncback
+    let specified_name = instance.name.clone();
 
-        log::warn!(
-            "Model at path {} had a top-level Name field. \
-            This field has been ignored since Rojo 6.0.\n\
-            Consider removing this field and renaming the file to {}.",
-            new_name,
-            path.display()
-        );
+    // Use the name from JSON if present, otherwise fall back to filename-derived name
+    if instance.name.is_none() {
+        instance.name = Some(name.to_owned());
     }
 
-    instance.name = Some(name.to_owned());
-
     let id = instance.id.take().map(RojoRef::new);
     let schema = instance.schema.take();
 
@@ -59,10 +53,11 @@ pub fn snapshot_json_model(
     snapshot.metadata = snapshot
         .metadata
         .instigating_source(path)
-        .relevant_paths(vec![path.to_path_buf()])
+        .relevant_paths(vec![vfs.canonicalize(path)?])
         .context(context)
         .specified_id(id)
-        .schema(schema);
+        .schema(schema)
+        .specified_name(specified_name);
 
     Ok(Some(snapshot))
 }
@@ -81,6 +76,7 @@ pub fn syncback_json_model<'sync>(
         // schemas will ever exist in one project for it to matter, but it
         // could have a performance cost.
         model.schema = old_inst.metadata().schema.clone();
+        model.name = old_inst.metadata().specified_name.clone();
     }
 
     Ok(SyncbackReturn {

src/snapshot_middleware/lua.rs

@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ pub fn snapshot_lua(
         .metadata(
             InstanceMetadata::new()
                 .instigating_source(path)
-                .relevant_paths(vec![path.to_path_buf()])
+                .relevant_paths(vec![vfs.canonicalize(path)?])
                 .context(context),
         );
 
@@ -158,8 +158,29 @@ pub fn syncback_lua<'sync>(
 
         if !meta.is_empty() {
             let parent_location = snapshot.path.parent_err()?;
+            let meta_stem = snapshot.middleware
+                .and_then(|mw| {
+                    let ext = format!(".{}", crate::syncback::extension_for_middleware(mw));
+                    snapshot.path.file_name()
+                        .and_then(|n| n.to_str())
+                        .and_then(|s| s.strip_suffix(ext.as_str()))
+                        .map(str::to_owned)
+                })
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                    let name = &snapshot.new_inst().name;
+                    let base = if crate::syncback::validate_file_name(name).is_err() {
+                        crate::syncback::slugify_name(name)
+                    } else {
+                        name.clone()
+                    };
+                    if base.to_lowercase() == "init" {
+                        format!("_{base}")
+                    } else {
+                        base
+                    }
+                });
             fs_snapshot.add_file(
-                parent_location.join(format!("{}.meta.json", new_inst.name)),
+                parent_location.join(format!("{meta_stem}.meta.json")),
                 serde_json::to_vec_pretty(&meta).context("cannot serialize metadata")?,
             );
         }

src/snapshot_middleware/meta_file.rs

@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ use rbx_dom_weak::{
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use crate::{
-    json, resolution::UnresolvedValue, snapshot::InstanceSnapshot, syncback::SyncbackSnapshot,
+    json,
+    resolution::UnresolvedValue,
+    snapshot::InstanceSnapshot,
+    syncback::{validate_file_name, SyncbackSnapshot},
     RojoRef,
 };
 
@@ -36,6 +39,9 @@ pub struct AdjacentMetadata {
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "IndexMap::is_empty")]
     pub attributes: IndexMap<String, UnresolvedValue>,
 
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub name: Option<String>,
+
     #[serde(skip)]
     pub path: PathBuf,
 }
@@ -144,6 +150,26 @@ impl AdjacentMetadata {
             }
         }
 
+        let name = snapshot
+            .old_inst()
+            .and_then(|inst| inst.metadata().specified_name.clone())
+            .or_else(|| {
+                // Write name when name_for_inst would produce a different
+                // filesystem stem (slugification or init-prefix).
+                if snapshot.old_inst().is_none() {
+                    let instance_name = &snapshot.new_inst().name;
+                    if validate_file_name(instance_name).is_err()
+                        || instance_name.to_lowercase() == "init"
+                    {
+                        Some(instance_name.clone())
+                    } else {
+                        None
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    None
+                }
+            });
+
         Ok(Some(Self {
             ignore_unknown_instances: if ignore_unknown_instances {
                 Some(true)
@@ -155,6 +181,7 @@ impl AdjacentMetadata {
             path,
             id: None,
             schema,
+            name,
         }))
     }
 
@@ -213,11 +240,26 @@ impl AdjacentMetadata {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    fn apply_name(&mut self, snapshot: &mut InstanceSnapshot) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        if self.name.is_some() && snapshot.metadata.specified_name.is_some() {
+            anyhow::bail!(
+                "cannot specify a name using {} (instance has a name from somewhere else)",
+                self.path.display()
+            );
+        }
+        if let Some(name) = &self.name {
+            snapshot.name = name.clone().into();
+        }
+        snapshot.metadata.specified_name = self.name.take();
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     pub fn apply_all(&mut self, snapshot: &mut InstanceSnapshot) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         self.apply_ignore_unknown_instances(snapshot);
         self.apply_properties(snapshot)?;
         self.apply_id(snapshot)?;
         self.apply_schema(snapshot)?;
+        self.apply_name(snapshot)?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -226,11 +268,13 @@ impl AdjacentMetadata {
     ///
     /// - The number of properties and attributes is 0
     /// - `ignore_unknown_instances` is None
+    /// - `name` is None
     #[inline]
     pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
         self.attributes.is_empty()
             && self.properties.is_empty()
             && self.ignore_unknown_instances.is_none()
+            && self.name.is_none()
     }
 
     // TODO: Add method to allow selectively applying parts of metadata and
@@ -262,6 +306,9 @@ pub struct DirectoryMetadata {
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub class_name: Option<Ustr>,
 
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub name: Option<String>,
+
     #[serde(skip)]
     pub path: PathBuf,
 }
@@ -372,6 +419,26 @@ impl DirectoryMetadata {
             }
         }
 
+        let name = snapshot
+            .old_inst()
+            .and_then(|inst| inst.metadata().specified_name.clone())
+            .or_else(|| {
+                // Write name when name_for_inst would produce a different
+                // directory name (slugification or init-prefix).
+                if snapshot.old_inst().is_none() {
+                    let instance_name = &snapshot.new_inst().name;
+                    if validate_file_name(instance_name).is_err()
+                        || instance_name.to_lowercase() == "init"
+                    {
+                        Some(instance_name.clone())
+                    } else {
+                        None
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    None
+                }
+            });
+
         Ok(Some(Self {
             ignore_unknown_instances: if ignore_unknown_instances {
                 Some(true)
@@ -384,6 +451,7 @@ impl DirectoryMetadata {
             path,
             id: None,
             schema,
+            name,
         }))
     }
 
@@ -393,6 +461,7 @@ impl DirectoryMetadata {
         self.apply_properties(snapshot)?;
         self.apply_id(snapshot)?;
         self.apply_schema(snapshot)?;
+        self.apply_name(snapshot)?;
 
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -464,17 +533,33 @@ impl DirectoryMetadata {
         snapshot.metadata.schema = self.schema.take();
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    fn apply_name(&mut self, snapshot: &mut InstanceSnapshot) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        if self.name.is_some() && snapshot.metadata.specified_name.is_some() {
+            anyhow::bail!(
+                "cannot specify a name using {} (instance has a name from somewhere else)",
+                self.path.display()
+            );
+        }
+        if let Some(name) = &self.name {
+            snapshot.name = name.clone().into();
+        }
+        snapshot.metadata.specified_name = self.name.take();
+        Ok(())
+    }
     /// Returns whether the metadata is 'empty', meaning it doesn't have anything
     /// worth persisting in it. Specifically:
     ///
     /// - The number of properties and attributes is 0
     /// - `ignore_unknown_instances` is None
     /// - `class_name` is either None or not Some("Folder")
+    /// - `name` is None
     #[inline]
     pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
         self.attributes.is_empty()
             && self.properties.is_empty()
             && self.ignore_unknown_instances.is_none()
+            && self.name.is_none()
             && if let Some(class) = &self.class_name {
                 class == "Folder"
             } else {

src/snapshot_middleware/project.rs

@@ -83,6 +83,19 @@ pub fn snapshot_project(
             // file being updated.
             snapshot.metadata.relevant_paths.push(path.to_path_buf());
 
+            // When git filter is active, also register the project folder as a
+            // relevant path. This serves as a catch-all so that file changes
+            // not under any specific $path node can still walk up the directory
+            // tree and trigger a re-snapshot of the entire project.
+            if context.has_git_filter() {
+                if let Some(folder) = path.parent() {
+                    let normalized = vfs
+                        .canonicalize(folder)
+                        .unwrap_or_else(|_| folder.to_path_buf());
+                    snapshot.metadata.relevant_paths.push(normalized);
+                }
+            }
+
             Ok(Some(snapshot))
         }
         None => Ok(None),
@@ -137,6 +150,26 @@ pub fn snapshot_project_node(
             // Take the snapshot's metadata as-is, which will be mutated later
             // on.
             metadata = snapshot.metadata;
+        } else if context.has_git_filter() {
+            // When the git filter is active and the $path was filtered out
+            // (no acknowledged files yet), we still need to register the path
+            // in relevant_paths. This allows the change processor to map file
+            // changes in this directory back to this project node instance,
+            // triggering a re-snapshot that will pick up newly modified files.
+            let normalized = vfs
+                .canonicalize(full_path.as_ref())
+                .unwrap_or_else(|_| full_path.to_path_buf());
+            metadata.relevant_paths.push(normalized);
+
+            // The VFS only sets up file watches via read() and read_dir(),
+            // not via metadata(). Since the git filter caused snapshot_from_vfs
+            // to return early (before read_dir was called), the VFS is not
+            // watching this path. We must read the directory here to ensure
+            // the VFS sets up a recursive watch, otherwise file change events
+            // will never fire and live sync won't detect modifications.
+            if full_path.is_dir() {
+                let _ = vfs.read_dir(&full_path);
+            }
         }
     }
 

src/snapshot_middleware/rbxm.rs

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ pub fn snapshot_rbxm(
             .metadata(
                 InstanceMetadata::new()
                     .instigating_source(path)
-                    .relevant_paths(vec![path.to_path_buf()])
+                    .relevant_paths(vec![vfs.canonicalize(path)?])
                     .context(context),
             );
 

src/snapshot_middleware/rbxmx.rs

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ pub fn snapshot_rbxmx(
             .metadata(
                 InstanceMetadata::new()
                     .instigating_source(path)
-                    .relevant_paths(vec![path.to_path_buf()])
+                    .relevant_paths(vec![vfs.canonicalize(path)?])
                     .context(context),
             );
 

src/snapshot_middleware/toml.rs

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ pub fn snapshot_toml(
         .metadata(
             InstanceMetadata::new()
                 .instigating_source(path)
-                .relevant_paths(vec![path.to_path_buf()])
+                .relevant_paths(vec![vfs.canonicalize(path)?])
                 .context(context),
         );
 

src/snapshot_middleware/txt.rs

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ pub fn snapshot_txt(
         .metadata(
             InstanceMetadata::new()
                 .instigating_source(path)
-                .relevant_paths(vec![path.to_path_buf()])
+                .relevant_paths(vec![vfs.canonicalize(path)?])
                 .context(context),
         );
 
@@ -58,8 +58,29 @@ pub fn syncback_txt<'sync>(
 
         if !meta.is_empty() {
             let parent = snapshot.path.parent_err()?;
+            let meta_stem = snapshot.middleware
+                .and_then(|mw| {
+                    let ext = format!(".{}", crate::syncback::extension_for_middleware(mw));
+                    snapshot.path.file_name()
+                        .and_then(|n| n.to_str())
+                        .and_then(|s| s.strip_suffix(ext.as_str()))
+                        .map(str::to_owned)
+                })
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                    let name = &new_inst.name;
+                    let base = if crate::syncback::validate_file_name(name).is_err() {
+                        crate::syncback::slugify_name(name)
+                    } else {
+                        name.clone()
+                    };
+                    if base.to_lowercase() == "init" {
+                        format!("_{base}")
+                    } else {
+                        base
+                    }
+                });
             fs_snapshot.add_file(
-                parent.join(format!("{}.meta.json", new_inst.name)),
+                parent.join(format!("{meta_stem}.meta.json")),
                 serde_json::to_vec_pretty(&meta).context("could not serialize metadata")?,
             );
         }

src/snapshot_middleware/yaml.rs

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ pub fn snapshot_yaml(
         .metadata(
             InstanceMetadata::new()
                 .instigating_source(path)
-                .relevant_paths(vec![path.to_path_buf()])
+                .relevant_paths(vec![vfs.canonicalize(path)?])
                 .context(context),
         );
 

src/syncback/file_names.rs

@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ use rbx_dom_weak::Instance;
 
 use crate::{snapshot::InstanceWithMeta, snapshot_middleware::Middleware};
 
-pub fn name_for_inst<'old>(
+pub fn name_for_inst<'a>(
     middleware: Middleware,
-    new_inst: &Instance,
-    old_inst: Option<InstanceWithMeta<'old>>,
-) -> anyhow::Result<Cow<'old, str>> {
+    new_inst: &'a Instance,
+    old_inst: Option<InstanceWithMeta<'a>>,
+) -> anyhow::Result<Cow<'a, str>> {
     if let Some(old_inst) = old_inst {
         if let Some(source) = old_inst.metadata().relevant_paths.first() {
             source
@@ -35,14 +35,34 @@ pub fn name_for_inst<'old>(
             | Middleware::CsvDir
             | Middleware::ServerScriptDir
             | Middleware::ClientScriptDir
-            | Middleware::ModuleScriptDir => Cow::Owned(new_inst.name.clone()),
+            | Middleware::ModuleScriptDir => {
+                let name = if validate_file_name(&new_inst.name).is_err() {
+                    Cow::Owned(slugify_name(&new_inst.name))
+                } else {
+                    Cow::Borrowed(new_inst.name.as_str())
+                };
+                // Prefix "init" to avoid colliding with reserved init files.
+                if name.to_lowercase() == "init" {
+                    Cow::Owned(format!("_{name}"))
+                } else {
+                    name
+                }
+            }
             _ => {
                 let extension = extension_for_middleware(middleware);
-                let name = &new_inst.name;
-                validate_file_name(name).with_context(|| {
-                    format!("name '{name}' is not legal to write to the file system")
-                })?;
-                Cow::Owned(format!("{name}.{extension}"))
+                let slugified;
+                let stem: &str = if validate_file_name(&new_inst.name).is_err() {
+                    slugified = slugify_name(&new_inst.name);
+                    &slugified
+                } else {
+                    &new_inst.name
+                };
+                // Prefix "init" stems to avoid colliding with reserved init files.
+                if stem.to_lowercase() == "init" {
+                    Cow::Owned(format!("_{stem}.{extension}"))
+                } else {
+                    Cow::Owned(format!("{stem}.{extension}"))
+                }
             }
         })
     }
@@ -94,6 +114,39 @@ const INVALID_WINDOWS_NAMES: [&str; 22] = [
 /// in a file's name.
 const FORBIDDEN_CHARS: [char; 9] = ['<', '>', ':', '"', '/', '|', '?', '*', '\\'];
 
+/// Slugifies a name by replacing forbidden characters with underscores
+/// and ensuring the result is a valid file name
+pub fn slugify_name(name: &str) -> String {
+    let mut result = String::with_capacity(name.len());
+
+    for ch in name.chars() {
+        if FORBIDDEN_CHARS.contains(&ch) {
+            result.push('_');
+        } else {
+            result.push(ch);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Handle Windows reserved names by appending an underscore
+    let result_lower = result.to_lowercase();
+    for forbidden in INVALID_WINDOWS_NAMES {
+        if result_lower == forbidden.to_lowercase() {
+            result.push('_');
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    while result.ends_with(' ') || result.ends_with('.') {
+        result.pop();
+    }
+
+    if result.is_empty() || result.chars().all(|c| c == '_') {
+        result = "instance".to_string();
+    }
+
+    result
+}
+
 /// Validates a provided file name to ensure it's allowed on the file system. An
 /// error is returned if the name isn't allowed, indicating why.
 /// This takes into account rules for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

src/syncback/mod.rs

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ use crate::{
     Project,
 };
 
-pub use file_names::{extension_for_middleware, name_for_inst, validate_file_name};
+pub use file_names::{extension_for_middleware, name_for_inst, slugify_name, validate_file_name};
 pub use fs_snapshot::FsSnapshot;
 pub use hash::*;
 pub use property_filter::{filter_properties, filter_properties_preallocated};
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ pub fn syncback_loop(
     old_tree: &mut RojoTree,
     mut new_tree: WeakDom,
     project: &Project,
+    force_json: bool,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<FsSnapshot> {
     let ignore_patterns = project
         .syncback_rules
@@ -153,6 +154,7 @@ pub fn syncback_loop(
         old_tree,
         new_tree: &new_tree,
         project,
+        force_json,
     };
 
     let mut snapshots = vec![SyncbackSnapshot {
@@ -197,7 +199,7 @@ pub fn syncback_loop(
             }
         }
 
-        let middleware = get_best_middleware(&snapshot);
+        let middleware = get_best_middleware(&snapshot, force_json);
 
         log::trace!(
             "Middleware for {inst_path} is {:?} (path is {})",
@@ -213,10 +215,14 @@ pub fn syncback_loop(
         let syncback = match middleware.syncback(&snapshot) {
             Ok(syncback) => syncback,
             Err(err) if middleware == Middleware::Dir => {
-                let new_middleware = match env::var(DEBUG_MODEL_FORMAT_VAR) {
-                    Ok(value) if value == "1" => Middleware::Rbxmx,
-                    Ok(value) if value == "2" => Middleware::JsonModel,
-                    _ => Middleware::Rbxm,
+                let new_middleware = if force_json {
+                    Middleware::JsonModel
+                } else {
+                    match env::var(DEBUG_MODEL_FORMAT_VAR) {
+                        Ok(value) if value == "1" => Middleware::Rbxmx,
+                        Ok(value) if value == "2" => Middleware::JsonModel,
+                        _ => Middleware::Rbxm,
+                    }
                 };
                 let file_name = snapshot
                     .path
@@ -295,12 +301,13 @@ pub struct SyncbackReturn<'sync> {
     pub removed_children: Vec<InstanceWithMeta<'sync>>,
 }
 
-pub fn get_best_middleware(snapshot: &SyncbackSnapshot) -> Middleware {
+pub fn get_best_middleware(snapshot: &SyncbackSnapshot, force_json: bool) -> Middleware {
     // At some point, we're better off using an O(1) method for checking
     // equality for classes like this.
     static JSON_MODEL_CLASSES: OnceLock<HashSet<&str>> = OnceLock::new();
     let json_model_classes = JSON_MODEL_CLASSES.get_or_init(|| {
         [
+            "Actor",
             "Sound",
             "SoundGroup",
             "Sky",
@@ -318,6 +325,11 @@ pub fn get_best_middleware(snapshot: &SyncbackSnapshot) -> Middleware {
             "ChatInputBarConfiguration",
             "BubbleChatConfiguration",
             "ChannelTabsConfiguration",
+            "RemoteEvent",
+            "UnreliableRemoteEvent",
+            "RemoteFunction",
+            "BindableEvent",
+            "BindableFunction",
         ]
         .into()
     });
@@ -361,10 +373,18 @@ pub fn get_best_middleware(snapshot: &SyncbackSnapshot) -> Middleware {
     }
 
     if middleware == Middleware::Rbxm {
-        middleware = match env::var(DEBUG_MODEL_FORMAT_VAR) {
-            Ok(value) if value == "1" => Middleware::Rbxmx,
-            Ok(value) if value == "2" => Middleware::JsonModel,
-            _ => Middleware::Rbxm,
+        middleware = if force_json {
+            if !inst.children().is_empty() {
+                Middleware::Dir
+            } else {
+                Middleware::JsonModel
+            }
+        } else {
+            match env::var(DEBUG_MODEL_FORMAT_VAR) {
+                Ok(value) if value == "1" => Middleware::Rbxmx,
+                Ok(value) if value == "2" => Middleware::JsonModel,
+                _ => Middleware::Rbxm,
+            }
         }
     }
 

src/syncback/snapshot.rs

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ pub struct SyncbackData<'sync> {
     pub(super) old_tree: &'sync RojoTree,
     pub(super) new_tree: &'sync WeakDom,
     pub(super) project: &'sync Project,
+    pub(super) force_json: bool,
 }
 
 pub struct SyncbackSnapshot<'sync> {
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ impl<'sync> SyncbackSnapshot<'sync> {
             path: PathBuf::new(),
             middleware: None,
         };
-        let middleware = get_best_middleware(&snapshot);
+        let middleware = get_best_middleware(&snapshot, self.data.force_json);
         let name = name_for_inst(middleware, snapshot.new_inst(), snapshot.old_inst())?;
         snapshot.path = self.path.join(name.as_ref());
 
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ impl<'sync> SyncbackSnapshot<'sync> {
             path: PathBuf::new(),
             middleware: None,
         };
-        let middleware = get_best_middleware(&snapshot);
+        let middleware = get_best_middleware(&snapshot, self.data.force_json);
         let name = name_for_inst(middleware, snapshot.new_inst(), snapshot.old_inst())?;
         snapshot.path = base_path.join(name.as_ref());
 
@@ -237,6 +238,24 @@ pub fn inst_path(dom: &WeakDom, referent: Ref) -> String {
     path.join("/")
 }
 
+impl<'sync> SyncbackData<'sync> {
+    /// Constructs a `SyncbackData` for use in unit tests.
+    #[cfg(test)]
+    pub fn for_test(
+        vfs: &'sync Vfs,
+        old_tree: &'sync RojoTree,
+        new_tree: &'sync WeakDom,
+        project: &'sync Project,
+    ) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            vfs,
+            old_tree,
+            new_tree,
+            project,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
     use rbx_dom_weak::{InstanceBuilder, WeakDom};

src/web/api.rs

@@ -1,13 +1,7 @@
 //! Defines Rojo's HTTP API, all under /api. These endpoints generally return
 //! JSON.
 
-use std::{
-    collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
-    fs,
-    path::PathBuf,
-    str::FromStr,
-    sync::Arc,
-};
+use std::{collections::HashMap, fs, path::PathBuf, str::FromStr, sync::Arc};
 
 use futures::{sink::SinkExt, stream::StreamExt};
 use hyper::{body, Body, Method, Request, Response, StatusCode};
@@ -19,7 +13,6 @@ use rbx_dom_weak::{
 };
 
 use crate::{
-    json,
     serve_session::ServeSession,
     snapshot::{InstanceWithMeta, PatchSet, PatchUpdate},
     web::{
@@ -28,9 +21,11 @@ use crate::{
             ServerInfoResponse, SocketPacket, SocketPacketBody, SocketPacketType, SubscribeMessage,
             WriteRequest, WriteResponse, PROTOCOL_VERSION, SERVER_VERSION,
         },
-        util::{json, json_ok},
+        util::{deserialize_msgpack, msgpack, msgpack_ok, serialize_msgpack},
+    },
+    web_api::{
+        InstanceUpdate, RefPatchRequest, RefPatchResponse, SerializeRequest, SerializeResponse,
     },
-    web_api::{BufferEncode, InstanceUpdate, RefPatchResponse, SerializeResponse},
 };
 
 pub async fn call(serve_session: Arc<ServeSession>, mut request: Request<Body>) -> Response<Body> {
@@ -45,7 +40,7 @@ pub async fn call(serve_session: Arc<ServeSession>, mut request: Request<Body>)
             if is_upgrade_request(&request) {
                 service.handle_api_socket(&mut request).await
             } else {
-                json(
+                msgpack(
                     ErrorResponse::bad_request(
                         "/api/socket must be called as a websocket upgrade request",
                     ),
@@ -53,19 +48,15 @@ pub async fn call(serve_session: Arc<ServeSession>, mut request: Request<Body>)
                 )
             }
         }
-        (&Method::GET, path) if path.starts_with("/api/serialize/") => {
-            service.handle_api_serialize(request).await
-        }
-        (&Method::GET, path) if path.starts_with("/api/ref-patch/") => {
-            service.handle_api_ref_patch(request).await
-        }
+        (&Method::POST, "/api/serialize") => service.handle_api_serialize(request).await,
+        (&Method::POST, "/api/ref-patch") => service.handle_api_ref_patch(request).await,
 
         (&Method::POST, path) if path.starts_with("/api/open/") => {
             service.handle_api_open(request).await
         }
         (&Method::POST, "/api/write") => service.handle_api_write(request).await,
 
-        (_method, path) => json(
+        (_method, path) => msgpack(
             ErrorResponse::not_found(format!("Route not found: {}", path)),
             StatusCode::NOT_FOUND,
         ),
@@ -86,7 +77,7 @@ impl ApiService {
         let tree = self.serve_session.tree();
         let root_instance_id = tree.get_root_id();
 
-        json_ok(&ServerInfoResponse {
+        msgpack_ok(&ServerInfoResponse {
             server_version: SERVER_VERSION.to_owned(),
             protocol_version: PROTOCOL_VERSION,
             session_id: self.serve_session.session_id(),
@@ -105,7 +96,7 @@ impl ApiService {
         let input_cursor: u32 = match argument.parse() {
             Ok(v) => v,
             Err(err) => {
-                return json(
+                return msgpack(
                     ErrorResponse::bad_request(format!("Malformed message cursor: {}", err)),
                     StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
                 );
@@ -116,7 +107,7 @@ impl ApiService {
         let (response, websocket) = match upgrade(request, None) {
             Ok(result) => result,
             Err(err) => {
-                return json(
+                return msgpack(
                     ErrorResponse::internal_error(format!("WebSocket upgrade failed: {}", err)),
                     StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
                 );
@@ -143,10 +134,10 @@ impl ApiService {
 
         let body = body::to_bytes(request.into_body()).await.unwrap();
 
-        let request: WriteRequest = match json::from_slice(&body) {
+        let request: WriteRequest = match deserialize_msgpack(&body) {
             Ok(request) => request,
             Err(err) => {
-                return json(
+                return msgpack(
                     ErrorResponse::bad_request(format!("Invalid body: {}", err)),
                     StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
                 );
@@ -154,7 +145,7 @@ impl ApiService {
         };
 
         if request.session_id != session_id {
-            return json(
+            return msgpack(
                 ErrorResponse::bad_request("Wrong session ID"),
                 StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
             );
@@ -180,7 +171,7 @@ impl ApiService {
             })
             .unwrap();
 
-        json_ok(WriteResponse { session_id })
+        msgpack_ok(WriteResponse { session_id })
     }
 
     async fn handle_api_read(&self, request: Request<Body>) -> Response<Body> {
@@ -190,7 +181,7 @@ impl ApiService {
         let requested_ids = match requested_ids {
             Ok(ids) => ids,
             Err(_) => {
-                return json(
+                return msgpack(
                     ErrorResponse::bad_request("Malformed ID list"),
                     StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
                 );
@@ -214,7 +205,7 @@ impl ApiService {
             }
         }
 
-        json_ok(ReadResponse {
+        msgpack_ok(ReadResponse {
             session_id: self.serve_session.session_id(),
             message_cursor,
             instances,
@@ -229,22 +220,30 @@ impl ApiService {
     /// that correspond to the requested Instances. These values have their
     /// `Value` property set to point to the requested Instance.
     async fn handle_api_serialize(&self, request: Request<Body>) -> Response<Body> {
-        let argument = &request.uri().path()["/api/serialize/".len()..];
-        let requested_ids: Result<Vec<Ref>, _> = argument.split(',').map(Ref::from_str).collect();
+        let session_id = self.serve_session.session_id();
+        let body = body::to_bytes(request.into_body()).await.unwrap();
 
-        let requested_ids = match requested_ids {
-            Ok(ids) => ids,
-            Err(_) => {
-                return json(
-                    ErrorResponse::bad_request("Malformed ID list"),
+        let request: SerializeRequest = match deserialize_msgpack(&body) {
+            Ok(request) => request,
+            Err(err) => {
+                return msgpack(
+                    ErrorResponse::bad_request(format!("Invalid body: {}", err)),
                     StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
                 );
             }
         };
+
+        if request.session_id != session_id {
+            return msgpack(
+                ErrorResponse::bad_request("Wrong session ID"),
+                StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
+            );
+        }
+
         let mut response_dom = WeakDom::new(InstanceBuilder::new("Folder"));
 
         let tree = self.serve_session.tree();
-        for id in &requested_ids {
+        for id in &request.ids {
             if let Some(instance) = tree.get_instance(*id) {
                 let clone = response_dom.insert(
                     Ref::none(),
@@ -268,7 +267,7 @@ impl ApiService {
 
                 response_dom.transfer_within(child_ref, object_value);
             } else {
-                json(
+                msgpack(
                     ErrorResponse::bad_request(format!("provided id {id} is not in the tree")),
                     StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
                 );
@@ -279,9 +278,9 @@ impl ApiService {
         let mut source = Vec::new();
         rbx_binary::to_writer(&mut source, &response_dom, &[response_dom.root_ref()]).unwrap();
 
-        json_ok(SerializeResponse {
+        msgpack_ok(SerializeResponse {
             session_id: self.serve_session.session_id(),
-            model_contents: BufferEncode::new(source),
+            model_contents: source,
         })
     }
 
@@ -290,20 +289,26 @@ impl ApiService {
     /// and referent properties need to be updated after the serialize
     /// endpoint is used.
     async fn handle_api_ref_patch(self, request: Request<Body>) -> Response<Body> {
-        let argument = &request.uri().path()["/api/ref-patch/".len()..];
-        let requested_ids: Result<HashSet<Ref>, _> =
-            argument.split(',').map(Ref::from_str).collect();
+        let session_id = self.serve_session.session_id();
+        let body = body::to_bytes(request.into_body()).await.unwrap();
 
-        let requested_ids = match requested_ids {
-            Ok(ids) => ids,
-            Err(_) => {
-                return json(
-                    ErrorResponse::bad_request("Malformed ID list"),
+        let request: RefPatchRequest = match deserialize_msgpack(&body) {
+            Ok(request) => request,
+            Err(err) => {
+                return msgpack(
+                    ErrorResponse::bad_request(format!("Invalid body: {}", err)),
                     StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
                 );
             }
         };
 
+        if request.session_id != session_id {
+            return msgpack(
+                ErrorResponse::bad_request("Wrong session ID"),
+                StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
+            );
+        }
+
         let mut instance_updates: HashMap<Ref, InstanceUpdate> = HashMap::new();
 
         let tree = self.serve_session.tree();
@@ -312,7 +317,7 @@ impl ApiService {
                 let Variant::Ref(prop_value) = prop_value else {
                     continue;
                 };
-                if let Some(target_id) = requested_ids.get(prop_value) {
+                if let Some(target_id) = request.ids.get(prop_value) {
                     let instance_id = instance.id();
                     let update =
                         instance_updates
@@ -331,7 +336,7 @@ impl ApiService {
             }
         }
 
-        json_ok(RefPatchResponse {
+        msgpack_ok(RefPatchResponse {
             session_id: self.serve_session.session_id(),
             patch: SubscribeMessage {
                 added: HashMap::new(),
@@ -347,7 +352,7 @@ impl ApiService {
         let requested_id = match Ref::from_str(argument) {
             Ok(id) => id,
             Err(_) => {
-                return json(
+                return msgpack(
                     ErrorResponse::bad_request("Invalid instance ID"),
                     StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
                 );
@@ -359,7 +364,7 @@ impl ApiService {
         let instance = match tree.get_instance(requested_id) {
             Some(instance) => instance,
             None => {
-                return json(
+                return msgpack(
                     ErrorResponse::bad_request("Instance not found"),
                     StatusCode::NOT_FOUND,
                 );
@@ -369,7 +374,7 @@ impl ApiService {
         let script_path = match pick_script_path(instance) {
             Some(path) => path,
             None => {
-                return json(
+                return msgpack(
                     ErrorResponse::bad_request(
                         "No appropriate file could be found to open this script",
                     ),
@@ -382,7 +387,7 @@ impl ApiService {
             Ok(()) => {}
             Err(error) => match error {
                 OpenError::Io(io_error) => {
-                    return json(
+                    return msgpack(
                         ErrorResponse::internal_error(format!(
                             "Attempting to open {} failed because of the following io error: {}",
                             script_path.display(),
@@ -396,7 +401,7 @@ impl ApiService {
                     status,
                     stderr,
                 } => {
-                    return json(
+                    return msgpack(
                         ErrorResponse::internal_error(format!(
                             r#"The command '{}' to open '{}' failed with the error code '{}'.
                             Error logs:
@@ -412,7 +417,7 @@ impl ApiService {
             },
         };
 
-        json_ok(OpenResponse {
+        msgpack_ok(OpenResponse {
             session_id: self.serve_session.session_id(),
         })
     }
@@ -476,7 +481,7 @@ async fn handle_websocket_subscription(
                 match result {
                     Ok((new_cursor, messages)) => {
                         if !messages.is_empty() {
-                            let json_message = {
+                            let msgpack_message = {
                                 let tree = tree_handle.lock().unwrap();
                                 let api_messages = messages
                                     .into_iter()
@@ -492,12 +497,12 @@ async fn handle_websocket_subscription(
                                     }),
                                 };
 
-                                serde_json::to_string(&response)?
+                                serialize_msgpack(response)?
                             };
 
                             log::debug!("Sending batch of messages over WebSocket subscription");
 
-                            if websocket.send(Message::Text(json_message)).await.is_err() {
+                            if websocket.send(Message::Binary(msgpack_message)).await.is_err() {
                                 // Client disconnected
                                 log::debug!("WebSocket subscription closed by client");
                                 break;

src/web/interface.rs

@@ -238,35 +238,26 @@ pub struct OpenResponse {
     pub session_id: SessionId,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+pub struct SerializeRequest {
+    pub session_id: SessionId,
+    pub ids: Vec<Ref>,
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub struct SerializeResponse {
     pub session_id: SessionId,
-    pub model_contents: BufferEncode,
+    #[serde(with = "serde_bytes")]
+    pub model_contents: Vec<u8>,
 }
 
-/// Using this struct we can force Roblox to JSONDecode this as a buffer.
-/// This is what Roblox's serde APIs use, so it saves a step in the plugin.
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
-pub struct BufferEncode {
-    m: (),
-    t: Cow<'static, str>,
-    base64: String,
-}
-
-impl BufferEncode {
-    pub fn new(content: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
-        let base64 = data_encoding::BASE64.encode(&content);
-        Self {
-            m: (),
-            t: Cow::Borrowed("buffer"),
-            base64,
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn model(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.base64
-    }
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+pub struct RefPatchRequest {
+    pub session_id: SessionId,
+    pub ids: HashSet<Ref>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]

src/web/util.rs

@@ -1,8 +1,48 @@
 use hyper::{header::CONTENT_TYPE, Body, Response, StatusCode};
-use serde::Serialize;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-pub fn json_ok<T: Serialize>(value: T) -> Response<Body> {
-    json(value, StatusCode::OK)
+pub fn msgpack_ok<T: Serialize>(value: T) -> Response<Body> {
+    msgpack(value, StatusCode::OK)
+}
+
+pub fn msgpack<T: Serialize>(value: T, code: StatusCode) -> Response<Body> {
+    let mut serialized = Vec::new();
+    let mut serializer = rmp_serde::Serializer::new(&mut serialized)
+        .with_human_readable()
+        .with_struct_map();
+
+    if let Err(err) = value.serialize(&mut serializer) {
+        return Response::builder()
+            .status(StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)
+            .header(CONTENT_TYPE, "text/plain")
+            .body(Body::from(err.to_string()))
+            .unwrap();
+    };
+
+    Response::builder()
+        .status(code)
+        .header(CONTENT_TYPE, "application/msgpack")
+        .body(Body::from(serialized))
+        .unwrap()
+}
+
+pub fn serialize_msgpack<T: Serialize>(value: T) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<u8>> {
+    let mut serialized = Vec::new();
+    let mut serializer = rmp_serde::Serializer::new(&mut serialized)
+        .with_human_readable()
+        .with_struct_map();
+
+    value.serialize(&mut serializer)?;
+
+    Ok(serialized)
+}
+
+pub fn deserialize_msgpack<'a, T: Deserialize<'a>>(
+    input: &'a [u8],
+) -> Result<T, rmp_serde::decode::Error> {
+    let mut deserializer = rmp_serde::Deserializer::new(input).with_human_readable();
+
+    T::deserialize(&mut deserializer)
 }
 
 pub fn json<T: Serialize>(value: T, code: StatusCode) -> Response<Body> {

test-projects/relative_paths/default.project.json

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+  "name": "default",
+  "tree": {
+    "$className": "DataModel",
+    "ReplicatedStorage": {
+      "Project": {
+        "$path": "project/src",
+        "Module": {
+          "$path": "module"
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}

test-projects/relative_paths/module/module.luau

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+return nil

test-projects/relative_paths/project/default.project.json

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+  "name": "default",
+  "tree": {
+    "$className": "DataModel",
+    "ReplicatedStorage": {
+      "Project": {
+        "$path": "src/",
+        "Module": {
+          "$path": "../module"
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}

test-projects/relative_paths/project/src/init.luau

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+return nil

tests/rojo_test/serve_util.rs

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 use std::{
-    fmt::Write as _,
     fs,
     path::{Path, PathBuf},
     process::Command,
@@ -11,10 +10,15 @@ use std::{
 use hyper_tungstenite::tungstenite::{connect, Message};
 use rbx_dom_weak::types::Ref;
 
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use tempfile::{tempdir, TempDir};
 
-use librojo::web_api::{
-    ReadResponse, SerializeResponse, ServerInfoResponse, SocketPacket, SocketPacketType,
+use librojo::{
+    web_api::{
+        ReadResponse, SerializeRequest, SerializeResponse, ServerInfoResponse, SocketPacket,
+        SocketPacketType,
+    },
+    SessionId,
 };
 use rojo_insta_ext::RedactionMap;
 
@@ -158,22 +162,16 @@ impl TestServeSession {
 
     pub fn get_api_rojo(&self) -> Result<ServerInfoResponse, reqwest::Error> {
         let url = format!("http://localhost:{}/api/rojo", self.port);
-        let body = reqwest::blocking::get(url)?.text()?;
+        let body = reqwest::blocking::get(url)?.bytes()?;
 
-        let value = jsonc_parser::parse_to_serde_value(&body, &Default::default())
-            .expect("Failed to parse JSON")
-            .expect("No JSON value");
-        Ok(serde_json::from_value(value).expect("Server returned malformed response"))
+        Ok(deserialize_msgpack(&body).expect("Server returned malformed response"))
     }
 
     pub fn get_api_read(&self, id: Ref) -> Result<ReadResponse<'_>, reqwest::Error> {
         let url = format!("http://localhost:{}/api/read/{}", self.port, id);
-        let body = reqwest::blocking::get(url)?.text()?;
+        let body = reqwest::blocking::get(url)?.bytes()?;
 
-        let value = jsonc_parser::parse_to_serde_value(&body, &Default::default())
-            .expect("Failed to parse JSON")
-            .expect("No JSON value");
-        Ok(serde_json::from_value(value).expect("Server returned malformed response"))
+        Ok(deserialize_msgpack(&body).expect("Server returned malformed response"))
     }
 
     pub fn get_api_socket_packet(
@@ -195,8 +193,8 @@ impl TestServeSession {
             }
 
             match socket.read() {
-                Ok(Message::Text(text)) => {
-                    let packet: SocketPacket = serde_json::from_str(&text)?;
+                Ok(Message::Binary(binary)) => {
+                    let packet: SocketPacket = deserialize_msgpack(&binary)?;
                     if packet.packet_type != packet_type {
                         continue;
                     }
@@ -209,7 +207,7 @@ impl TestServeSession {
                     return Err("WebSocket closed before receiving messages".into());
                 }
                 Ok(_) => {
-                    // Ignore other message types (ping, pong, binary)
+                    // Ignore other message types (ping, pong, text)
                     continue;
                 }
                 Err(hyper_tungstenite::tungstenite::Error::Io(e))
@@ -226,19 +224,44 @@ impl TestServeSession {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn get_api_serialize(&self, ids: &[Ref]) -> Result<SerializeResponse, reqwest::Error> {
-        let mut id_list = String::with_capacity(ids.len() * 33);
-        for id in ids {
-            write!(id_list, "{id},").unwrap();
-        }
-        id_list.pop();
+    pub fn get_api_serialize(
+        &self,
+        ids: &[Ref],
+        session_id: SessionId,
+    ) -> Result<SerializeResponse, reqwest::Error> {
+        let client = reqwest::blocking::Client::new();
+        let url = format!("http://localhost:{}/api/serialize", self.port);
+        let body = serialize_msgpack(&SerializeRequest {
+            session_id,
+            ids: ids.to_vec(),
+        })
+        .unwrap();
 
-        let url = format!("http://localhost:{}/api/serialize/{}", self.port, id_list);
+        let body = client.post(url).body(body).send()?.bytes()?;
 
-        reqwest::blocking::get(url)?.json()
+        Ok(deserialize_msgpack(&body).expect("Server returned malformed response"))
     }
 }
 
+fn serialize_msgpack<T: Serialize>(value: T) -> Result<Vec<u8>, rmp_serde::encode::Error> {
+    let mut serialized = Vec::new();
+    let mut serializer = rmp_serde::Serializer::new(&mut serialized)
+        .with_human_readable()
+        .with_struct_map();
+
+    value.serialize(&mut serializer)?;
+
+    Ok(serialized)
+}
+
+fn deserialize_msgpack<'a, T: Deserialize<'a>>(
+    input: &'a [u8],
+) -> Result<T, rmp_serde::decode::Error> {
+    let mut deserializer = rmp_serde::Deserializer::new(input).with_human_readable();
+
+    T::deserialize(&mut deserializer)
+}
+
 /// Probably-okay way to generate random enough port numbers for running the
 /// Rojo live server.
 ///
@@ -256,11 +279,7 @@ fn get_port_number() -> usize {
 /// Since the provided structure intentionally includes unredacted referents,
 /// some post-processing is done to ensure they don't show up in the model.
 pub fn serialize_to_xml_model(response: &SerializeResponse, redactions: &RedactionMap) -> String {
-    let model_content = data_encoding::BASE64
-        .decode(response.model_contents.model().as_bytes())
-        .unwrap();
-
-    let mut dom = rbx_binary::from_reader(model_content.as_slice()).unwrap();
+    let mut dom = rbx_binary::from_reader(response.model_contents.as_slice()).unwrap();
     // This makes me realize that maybe we need a `descendants_mut` iter.
     let ref_list: Vec<Ref> = dom.descendants().map(|inst| inst.referent()).collect();
     for referent in ref_list {

tests/tests/build.rs

@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ gen_build_tests! {
     issue_546,
     json_as_lua,
     json_model_in_folder,
-    json_model_legacy_name,
     module_in_folder,
     module_init,
     nested_runcontext,
@@ -55,6 +54,8 @@ gen_build_tests! {
     script_meta_disabled,
     server_in_folder,
     server_init,
+    slugified_name_roundtrip,
+    model_json_name_input,
     txt,
     txt_in_folder,
     unresolved_values,

tests/tests/serve.rs

@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ fn meshpart_with_id() {
             .unwrap();
 
         let serialize_response = session
-            .get_api_serialize(&[*meshpart, *objectvalue])
+            .get_api_serialize(&[*meshpart, *objectvalue], info.session_id)
             .unwrap();
 
         // We don't assert a snapshot on the SerializeResponse because the model includes the
@@ -673,7 +673,9 @@ fn forced_parent() {
             read_response.intern_and_redact(&mut redactions, root_id)
         );
 
-        let serialize_response = session.get_api_serialize(&[root_id]).unwrap();
+        let serialize_response = session
+            .get_api_serialize(&[root_id], info.session_id)
+            .unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(serialize_response.session_id, info.session_id);
 

tests/tests/syncback.rs

@@ -86,4 +86,9 @@ syncback_tests! {
     sync_rules => ["src/module.modulescript", "src/text.text"],
     // Ensures that the `syncUnscriptable` setting works
     unscriptable_properties => ["default.project.json"],
+    // Ensures that instances with names containing illegal characters get slugified filenames
+    // and preserve their original names in meta.json without forcing directories for leaf scripts
+    slugified_name => ["src/_Script.meta.json", "src/_Script.server.luau", "src/_Folder/init.meta.json"],
+    // Ensures that .model.json files preserve the name property
+    model_json_name => ["src/foo.model.json"],
 }