The rsync 🗃️ package in Linux is a widely used utility for fast and efficient file copying and synchronization, both locally and over a network. Its primary purpose is to synchronize files and directories from one location to another while minimizing data transfer by using delta encoding when appropriate.

Here are some key features and uses of rsync:

➡️ Efficient Data Transfer: rsync only transfers the changes made to files, rather than transferring entire files every time. This efficiency is particularly beneficial over slower network connections or for large datasets.
👉 Support for Local and Remote Files: It can synchronize files and directories between local machines or over a network using SSH or rsync daemon.
➡️ Bandwidth Throttling: Users have the option to limit the bandwidth used by rsync, making it less intrusive on network resources.
👉 Preservation of File Attributes: rsync can preserve various file attributes like permissions, ownership, timestamps, and symbolic links during the transfer.
👉 Error Checking and Recovery: It includes error checking algorithms and can resume transfers after an interruption, ensuring reliable file synchronization.
➡️ Versatility: rsync is commonly used for backups and mirroring, and it is a popular choice for deploying updates to servers or for maintaining backup servers.
👉 Scripting and Automation: Its command-line nature makes it easy to incorporate into scripts, allowing for automated backup and synchronization tasks.
➡️ Exclusion and Inclusion of Files: Users can specify patterns to exclude certain files or directories from synchronization or to include only specific types of files.

Installing Rsync on Ubuntu and CentOS

First, we need to install it.

Installing Rsync on Ubuntu:
1. Open Terminal.
2. Update the package list:
sudo apt-get update
3. Install Rsync:
sudo apt-get install rsync

Installing Rsync on CentOS:
1. Open Terminal.
2. Rsync is usually installed by default on CentOS. To check, run:
rsync --version
3. If it’s not installed, install Rsync using YUM:
sudo yum install rsync

Common Rsync 📁 Command Examples

Basic File Transfer:
rsync source_file user@destination_host:destination_folder
Transfers a single file to a remote host.

Basic Directory Transfer:
rsync -r source_directory user@destination_host:destination_folder
Recursively transfers a directory to a remote host.

Sync Directory to Remote with Deletion:
rsync -a --delete source_directory user@destination_host:destination_folder
Synchronizes a directory to a remote host and deletes files in the destination that are not in the source directory.

Sync with Progress Output:
rsync -avh --progress source_directory destination_directory
Transfers files with verbose and human-readable output, including progress for each file.

Transfer Using SSH:
rsync -avz -e ssh source_directory user@destination_host:destination_folder
Uses SSH for data transfer, adding encryption and security.

Exclude Files/Directories:
rsync -av --exclude 'pattern' source_directory destination_directory
Excludes files or directories matching a pattern.

Include Specific Files:
rsync -av --include 'pattern' --exclude '*' source_directory destination_directory
Includes only files or directories matching a specific pattern.

Transfer Files with a Specific Extension:
rsync -av --include '*/' --include '*.ext' --exclude '*' source_directory destination_directory
Transfers only files with a specific extension.

Bandwidth Limiting:
rsync -avz --bwlimit=1000 source_directory destination_directory
Limits the bandwidth used by rsync to 1000 KBytes per second.

Partial Transfer and Resume:
rsync -avP source_directory destination_directory
Supports partial transfer of files and allows resuming interrupted transfers.

Backup Mode:
rsync -av --backup --backup-dir=backup_directory source_directory destination_directory
Makes backups of files that are changed or deleted during the transfer.

Advanced Rsync Command Examples

Preserve Permissions:
rsync -avz --perms source_directory destination_directory
Preserves file permissions during the transfer.

Preserve Symlinks:
rsync -avz --links source_directory destination_directory
Transfers and preserves symbolic links.

Preserve All File Attributes:
rsync -avzP source_directory destination_directory
Preserves all file attributes (permissions, links, modification times, etc.) and shows progress.

Synchronize Only Newer Files:
rsync -avzu source_directory destination_directory
Synchronizes only newer files from the source to the destination.

Copy Files with a Size Limit:
rsync -avz --max-size='size' source_directory destination_directory
Transfers files that are below a certain size.

Verbose Output with Itemized Changes:
rsync -avzi source_directory destination_directory
Provides a verbose output with an itemized list of changes.

Quiet Mode:
rsync -avzq source_directory destination_directory
Runs rsync in quiet mode, suppressing non-error messages.

Compare Checksums:
rsync -avzc source_directory destination_directory
Skips based on checksums, not mod-time & size.

Transfer Without Recursion:
rsync -avz --no-R source_directory destination_directory
Transfers files without recursion into subdirectories.

Using Different Port for SSH:
rsync -avz -e 'ssh -p port_number' source_directory user@destination_host:destination_folder
Specifies a different port for SSH connections.

Dry Run:
rsync -avzn source_directory destination_directory
Performs a trial run with no changes made.

Transfer Files from a Remote Source to Local Destination:
rsync -avz user@source_host:source_directory destination_directory
Pulls files from a remote source to a local destination.

Backup with Timestamped Directory:
rsync -avz --backup --backup-dir=backup_`date +%Y%m%d` source_directory destination_directory
Creates a backup in a timestamped directory.

Hope these examples help you to create your 🙂

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