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Use scp for a straightforward one-off copy, sftp to browse or perform several file operations in an interactive or batch session, and rsync for repeated directory synchronization or mirroring. One important distinction: current OpenSSH scp uses SFTP for transfers by default; the scp command is not synonymous with the older SCP wire protocol.
At a glance: which command fits?
| Tool | Best fit | How it works | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
scp |
A direct, one-off file or directory copy | Copies between hosts over SSH. Current OpenSSH uses SFTP for the transfer by default. | Use -O only when you need the legacy SCP protocol, such as for certain older servers or path and wildcard behavior. OpenBSD scp(1) manual. |
sftp |
Browsing a remote location or performing several file operations | Runs an interactive file-transfer session over encrypted SSH, and also supports batch input. | The server must provide an SFTP subsystem; some operations depend on server extensions. OpenBSD sftp(1) manual. |
rsync |
Recurring transfers, directory synchronization, backups, or mirroring | Can copy locally, through a remote shell such as SSH, or through an rsync daemon. For existing destination files, its delta-transfer algorithm can send only differences. | Remote-shell transfers need rsync at both ends. A source trailing slash affects directory layout, and --delete removes destination-only files. rsync(1) manual and OpenBSD openrsync(1) manual. |
Copy one file with scp
For a simple upload, provide the local file and a remote destination:
scp ./report.csv user@host:/srv/incoming/This copies report.csv into the remote /srv/incoming/ directory. Replace user, host, and the path with the account, server, and destination you can access.
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Since OpenSSH 9.0, scp uses SFTP for transfers by default, as stated in the OpenBSD scp(1) manual. The -O option forces the legacy SCP protocol. That may be needed for a server without SFTP support or for some older wildcard and tilde-path behaviors; do not use it just because the command is named scp.
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Use sftp for an interactive session or batch
Connect to the server with:
sftp user@hostAt the SFTP prompt, use commands to inspect the remote location, move between directories, and transfer files:
pwdandlsshow the current remote directory and its contents.cd /srv/incomingchanges the remote directory.put ./report.csvuploads a local file.get results.csvdownloads a remote file.byeends the session.
For repeatable, noninteractive operations, put SFTP commands in a batch file and run:
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sftp -b commands.txt user@hostProvide noninteractive authentication for an unattended batch; otherwise it can stop while waiting for a password. SFTP uses encrypted SSH transport and can use SSH features such as public-key authentication. The server needs an SFTP subsystem, and some file operations rely on server extensions. See the OpenBSD sftp(1) manual.
Synchronize a directory with rsync
For a recurring update over SSH, a common command is:
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rsync -av ./site/ user@host:/srv/site/The trailing slash in ./site/ means to transfer the directory’s contents into /srv/site/. Without that slash—./site—rsync ordinarily includes the site directory itself, creating a directory level at the destination. Check which metadata options suit your source, destination, and permissions; -a is commonly used for recursive transfer and attributes.
In remote-shell mode, rsync normally connects through SSH, and the rsync command must be installed on both machines. Rsync can use destination data to transfer only differences in existing files, which can help with recurring updates; it does not guarantee a particular speed. Results depend on the files, network, options, and endpoints. See the rsync(1) manual.
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Mirror only when destination-only files should be removed
Add --delete only when the destination is meant to match the source:
rsync -av --delete ./site/ user@host:/srv/site/This removes files at the destination that are absent from the source. Verify the source, destination, and transfer direction before using it; an incorrect path or direction can remove files you intended to keep. The deletion behavior is documented in the rsync(1) manual and OpenBSD openrsync(1) manual.
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Choose by task, interaction, and server setup
- One copy: Choose
scpwhen you want a single command to copy a file or directory. - Several directed operations: Choose
sftpwhen you want to inspect a remote directory and issue multiple upload or download commands, or save those commands in a batch file. - Recurring updates or mirroring: Choose
rsyncwhen you need directory synchronization and its ability to transfer differences in existing destination files. - Server compatibility:
scpand SFTP require SSH access; modernscpalso depends on the server’s SFTP subsystem unless you force legacy SCP with-O. Remote-shell rsync requires SSH access and rsync installed on both endpoints. - Path effects: Check remote path and quoting behavior for
scpand SFTP. With rsync, decide whether the source directory’s contents or the directory itself should be copied, and use--deleteonly for an intentional mirror.
Keep the transport modes distinct
SFTP runs over encrypted SSH transport. Rsync over a remote shell commonly uses SSH, but rsync can also connect through an rsync daemon; that is a separate mode, so do not assume it has the same transport properties as SSH. The rsync(1) manual documents rsync’s transfer modes.
Quick Recap
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