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tools:rsync [2025/10/12 06:50] – [Remote & Network Backups] Humphrey Boa-Garttools:rsync [2026/03/31 12:20] (current) – [What About Automatic Backups?] Humphrey Boa-Gart
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 **rsync** //(or **remote sync**)// is a [[tools:bash|command line]] utility for transferring and synchronizing files between any given //"source"// and //"destination"// pair. It is extremely popular for use in backup utilities, at it can synchronize backups between not only local filesystems, but also over the internet via [[tools:ssh|SSH]]. **rsync** //(or **remote sync**)// is a [[tools:bash|command line]] utility for transferring and synchronizing files between any given //"source"// and //"destination"// pair. It is extremely popular for use in backup utilities, at it can synchronize backups between not only local filesystems, but also over the internet via [[tools:ssh|SSH]].
  
-While you can technically use the ''cp -R'' command to make quick and dirty backups, ''rsync'' offers far more flexibility for common real-world scenarios.+While you can technically use the ''cp -R'' command to make quick and dirty backups, ''rsync'' offers far more flexibility for many common real-world scenarios.
  
 If you are already familiar with using [[tools:wget|Wget]] to make mirrors of entire websites, then use of ''rsync'' should come to you pretty naturally - it just operates over local filesystems & SSH instead of HTTP/HTTPS/FTP. If you are already familiar with using [[tools:wget|Wget]] to make mirrors of entire websites, then use of ''rsync'' should come to you pretty naturally - it just operates over local filesystems & SSH instead of HTTP/HTTPS/FTP.
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   $ rsync -av --exclude-from 'exclusions.txt' /path/to/source/dir/ /path/to/destination/dir/   $ rsync -av --exclude-from 'exclusions.txt' /path/to/source/dir/ /path/to/destination/dir/
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 +You can even exclude things like specific filetypes:
 +
 +  $ rsync -av --exclude='*.ext' /path/to/source/dir/ /path/to/destination/dir/
  
  
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   * Use ''--progress'' to see real-time transfer status.   * Use ''--progress'' to see real-time transfer status.
   * Use ''--log-file=transfer.log'' to generate a log file of the transfer.   * Use ''--log-file=transfer.log'' to generate a log file of the transfer.
 +  * Use ''--remove-source-files'' to delete the source directory once the transfer is complete.
  
  
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 ''rsync'' does not have a built-in scheduling service. The easiest way to set your rsync-powered backups on autopilot, is with the use of [[tools:cron|crontab]]. ''rsync'' does not have a built-in scheduling service. The easiest way to set your rsync-powered backups on autopilot, is with the use of [[tools:cron|crontab]].
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 +===== Further Reading =====
 +
 +  * [[rfc>5781|RFC 5781]] - Official specification for the ''rsync:'' URI scheme used by rsync.
 +
  
    
 {{tag>Tools}} {{tag>Tools}}
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