⚠ DRY RUN active — rsync will simulate the transfer and show what would happen without moving any files.
source →
dest →
Trailing slash on source matters: /src/ copies contents; /src copies the directory itself.
generated command
$ rsync /path/to/source/ /path/to/dest/
⚠ This command contains characters that have special meaning in the shell (such as $, `, ;, |, &). Review the command carefully before pasting into a terminal.
// rsynccraft — rsync reference
rsync is a fast, versatile file synchronization and transfer tool. It only sends the differences between files (delta transfer), making it highly efficient for backups and mirrors.
rsync [options] source destination
source & destination forms
/local/path/
Local path. Trailing slash = copy contents; no trailing slash = copy directory itself.
user@host:/path/
Remote path via SSH (default). Host can be a hostname or IP.
rsync://host/module/
Native rsync daemon protocol (port 873). Faster than SSH for large syncs.
::module/path
Shorthand for rsync daemon on localhost.
the most important options
-a / --archive
Archive mode: equivalent to -rlptgoD. Preserves almost everything. Start here for most backups.
-v / --verbose
Show files being transferred. Use -vv for more detail.
-n / --dry-run
Simulate without transferring. Always test with -n first, especially with --delete.
-z / --compress
Compress data during transfer. Good for slow links; overhead on fast local networks.
-P
Shorthand for --partial --progress. Keep partial files + show per-file progress.
--delete
Delete files in dest that don't exist in source. Makes dest a mirror. Use with -n first!
-e ssh
Use SSH as transport. Default for remote. Add options: -e "ssh -p 2222 -i key.pem".
trailing slash rule
rsync -a /src/ /dst/ — copies the contents of /src into /dst
rsync -a /src /dst/ — copies the directory /src into /dst (creates /dst/src/)
• Always test destructive operations (--delete, --remove-source-files) with -n first.
• --stats at the end gives a useful transfer summary.
• For very large syncs, add --info=progress2 for an overall progress indicator instead of per-file.
• --link-dest enables efficient incremental backups with hard links.
• Use --filter or --exclude-from for complex exclusion rules from a file.
safety & disclaimer
This is an educational tool. The commands it builds are real — they will do exactly what you tell them to. Some flags are destructive (deletion, overwriting, forced operations) and even non-destructive options can cause data loss or system trouble in the wrong circumstances.
• Always review the generated command before running it.
• Test on disposable files and directories first.
• If you do not understand what a flag does, look it up in the official manual page (man command).
The author of these pages is not responsible for any damage, data loss, or other consequences resulting from commands generated, copied, or run from this site. Use at your own risk.
