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Use rsync safely by previewing the exact operation before changing anything: start with rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes SOURCE/ DEST/, verify the source, destination, exclusions, permissions, and mount points, then remove --dry-run only when the output is correct. Add --delete only when you intentionally want destination-only files removed.
The two details that cause many rsync mistakes are the trailing slash on the source and the meaning of --delete. A source written as SOURCE/ copies its contents into the destination; SOURCE copies the directory itself beneath the destination. --delete cleans up the receiving side—it does not delete files from the source.
What rsync -av does
Rsync synchronizes a sending tree with a receiving tree, transferring files that are new or different and preserving the structure and attributes selected by the command. The readable baseline for copying one directory to another is:
rsync -av SOURCE/ DEST/Here, the options have separate jobs:
-ais archive mode. It is the archive preset that includes recursive copying and preservation of common file attributes.-vis verbose mode. It increases the output so you can see what rsync is processing.
The command is normally non-destructive to files that exist only in the destination: rsync updates or adds files from the source but does not remove unrelated destination entries unless a delete option is supplied. That makes -av a sensible starting point for a copy or update, while a mirror requires a separate decision about deletion.
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What archive mode preserves
Archive mode is useful when the destination should resemble the source rather than merely contain a collection of file contents. It enables recursive traversal and preservation of common attributes as part of one preset, so you do not have to assemble a long option list for an ordinary directory transfer. It does not mean that every possible filesystem feature or security policy is automatically identical across different operating systems; permissions, ownership, mounts, and filesystem support can still affect the result.
Why verbose output matters
Verbose output is an operational aid, not a verification substitute. It lets you see paths rsync is considering and spot an unexpected source, destination, or directory level before you trust the result. For a more precise review, combine it with --itemize-changes, which describes what rsync plans to change for each affected item.
The trailing slash changes the destination layout
Rsync treats a source directory and the contents of that directory differently. This distinction is independent of whether the transfer is local or remote.
| Command form | What is sent | Typical result when DEST/ already exists |
|---|---|---|
rsync -av SOURCE/ DEST/ |
The contents inside SOURCE |
Files and subdirectories from SOURCE appear directly inside DEST. |
rsync -av SOURCE DEST/ |
The directory entry SOURCE and its contents |
A directory named SOURCE appears beneath DEST. |
For example, assume /srv/photos contains 2026/ and readme.txt:
rsync -av /srv/photos/ /backup/photos/This places 2026/ and readme.txt directly in /backup/photos/. By contrast:
rsync -av /srv/photos /backup/This creates or updates /backup/photos/. Decide which layout you want before adding --delete; an incorrect slash can make you preview one tree while believing you are synchronizing another.
Do not replace the source directory with a wildcard
For mirror operations, pass the directory itself as dir or dir/. Do not write a shell-expanded source such as dir/* when you expect rsync to remove destination-only entries. The wildcard sends the matched children without the parent-directory context rsync needs for the deletion scan. The result can be a transfer that copies visible children but does not perform the deletion review you intended.
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--dry-run, also written as -n, performs a trial run without making changes and produces mostly the same output as a real run. The safest preview includes verbose and itemized output:
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rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes SOURCE/ DEST/For a normal copy, this tells you which files would be transferred and which paths rsync considers unchanged. For a mirror, include --delete in the preview so the output represents the destructive command you are actually considering:
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes --delete SOURCE/ DEST/Do not preview a harmless command and then add --delete to the live command without running a new preview. The option changes the set of possible destination changes.
A repeatable preflight procedure
- Confirm direction. Read the command as “send from the first path to the second path.” Check that the source contains the current data and that the destination is the filesystem you intend to change.
- Choose the source syntax. Use
SOURCE/for the contents orSOURCEfor the directory entry itself. - Run a preview. Start with
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes SOURCE/ DEST/. Add--deleteonly if mirror behavior is required. - Read the complete output. Look for an unexpected top-level directory, an unexpected absolute or relative path, and every deletion line. Do not rely on the first few lines.
- Check the environment. Verify excludes, permissions, mount points, free space, and that the destination is mounted where you expect. A missing mount can turn a routine path into an empty directory on the underlying filesystem.
- Run the live command. Remove
--dry-runonly after the preview is correct. Keep--deleteonly when destination cleanup is part of the requirement. - Review the result. If the job is important, inspect the destination and retain the verbose or itemized output with the job log.
Why itemized output is worth adding
Verbose output tells you what rsync is processing; itemized output gives you a structured indication of planned changes. Together they make a preview easier to audit, especially when a tree contains many files or when a mirror would remove old entries. The preview is still a plan: permissions, access failures, a changed mount, or a file changing between preview and execution can alter the live result.
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What –delete means—and why it is dangerous
--delete removes extraneous entries from the receiving side: files and directories that are not present in the sending side’s synchronized tree. It is destination cleanup, not source cleanup. Rsync does not use it to delete files from the source.
“This option can be dangerous if used incorrectly! It is a very good idea to first try a run using the –dry-run (-n) option to see what files are going to be deleted.”
This warning from the official rsync documentation describes the central risk: a wrong source path, wrong destination, missing mount, or unintended filter can make legitimate destination data look extraneous.
When a mirror is appropriate
Use --delete when the destination is intentionally a mirror, such as a generated deployment tree or a backup destination whose contents must match the selected source tree. A mirror means that removing a file from the source eventually removes it from the destination as well.
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Do not use it merely because you want to copy new files. For an additive update, the safer command is:
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rsync -av SOURCE/ DEST/For a mirror, preview first and then run:
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes --delete SOURCE/ DEST/After reviewing all deletions:
rsync -av --itemize-changes --delete SOURCE/ DEST/The live command above removes the preview option but retains itemized output for an auditable record.
How exclusions affect deletion
Excluded files are protected from deletion by default. They are not part of the synchronized view, so rsync normally leaves corresponding destination entries alone. If you deliberately want excluded destination entries removed, --delete-excluded or filter rules can change that behavior. Treat that as a separate destructive decision and preview it explicitly; never assume an exclude pattern is harmless once deletion rules are changed.
Deletion applies only to synchronized directories
Rsync deletes entries only within directories that are actually being synchronized. It does not scan every directory on the destination filesystem. The source path and trailing slash therefore matter twice: they determine the layout and define the tree against which destination entries are judged.
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Copy directory contents without deleting destination files
Suppose /home/alex/project/ is the source and /mnt/backup/project/ is the destination. Preview the additive update:
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes /home/alex/project/ /mnt/backup/project/Check that the output shows paths such as notes.txt and src/ under the intended destination. If the layout is correct, run:
rsync -av /home/alex/project/ /mnt/backup/project/Existing destination-only files remain because no delete option was supplied.
Mirror directory contents and remove stale destination entries
To make the destination match the selected source tree:
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes --delete /home/alex/project/ /mnt/backup/project/Read every deletion in the preview. Confirm that /mnt/backup is mounted and that project/ is the intended receiving directory. Only then run:
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rsync -av --itemize-changes --delete /home/alex/project/ /mnt/backup/project/If the preview lists an entire unexpected directory, stop and correct the source or destination rather than proceeding.
Using rsync over a network
With host:path syntax, rsync uses a remote shell with SSH by default. The official security guidance states that this authenticates the peer and encrypts the connection. For sensitive transfers, this is the normal secure form:
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes ./project/ user@example-host:/srv/project/After checking the preview, remove --dry-run for the live transfer. The same source-slash and delete rules apply when the destination is remote.
SSH remote shell versus rsync daemon forms
| Form | Connection behavior | Security implication | Use when |
|---|---|---|---|
host:path |
Remote shell, using SSH by default | Peer authentication and encrypted transport | You need a protected transfer and normal SSH access is available. |
host::module |
Direct rsync daemon module | Not encrypted by rsync’s direct daemon protocol | The daemon is explicitly configured and the network protection is understood. |
rsync://host/module |
Rsync daemon URL | Not encrypted by rsync’s direct daemon protocol | You have a controlled, non-sensitive daemon transfer or an explicitly configured TLS wrapper. |
Direct daemon forms are not encrypted by rsync itself. Use SSH for sensitive data, or protect a daemon connection with an explicitly configured TLS wrapper. Encryption and authentication are separate questions: a transfer can be private in transit only when the chosen connection actually provides those protections.
Receiving from an untrusted sender
Do not merge files from an untrusted remote sender directly into your home directory. Use a dedicated destination directory so the incoming tree is isolated and easier to inspect. The official example changes a destination such as ~ to a dedicated path like ~/host1-files:
rsync -aiv host1:dir1 ~/host1-filesCreate and inspect the dedicated directory before accepting files. This does not make untrusted content safe to execute; it limits where the files are placed and reduces accidental mixing with personal configuration and documents.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Deletion timing and rsync versions
If no delete-timing option is supplied, rsync 3.0.0 and newer select --delete-during. Older versions select --delete-before. Both modes remove destination-only entries, but the timing can affect when files disappear, memory use, and how a job behaves while it is running.
Scripts that depend on exact deletion timing should check the installed version and specify an appropriate timing option when necessary. A command that behaves acceptably on a current system may expose a different interval of destination cleanup on an older installation.
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Check the installed version before automating a destructive job:
rsync --versionRecord the version with the job configuration so an upgrade or downgrade does not silently change operational behavior.
Common mistakes and recovery steps
The files landed one directory too deep
Symptom: You expected DEST/file.txt, but found DEST/SOURCE/file.txt.
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Fix: Decide whether the directory entry or its contents are wanted. For contents directly in the destination, preview with SOURCE/ DEST/. Do not add --delete until the corrected layout has been confirmed.
Nothing was deleted even though –delete was present
Possible causes:
- The source used a wildcard such as
dir/*, so rsync did not receive the parent-directory context needed for the deletion scan. - The apparent extra files were excluded, and excluded entries are protected by default.
- The destination entries were outside the directories actually synchronized.
- You ran a dry run and therefore made no changes.
Correct the source expression or filter rules, then run a fresh preview that includes the exact delete options you intend to use.
Unexpected files are listed for deletion
Stop before removing --dry-run. Recheck the source and destination order, the trailing slash, the destination mount, and every exclude or include rule. An empty or wrong mount point is especially dangerous because rsync can see a different directory than the one you thought was mounted.
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Archive mode requests recursive copying and preservation of common attributes, but the operating system and destination filesystem still enforce permissions and ownership rules. Verify that the account running rsync can read the source and write the destination. Check whether the destination filesystem supports the attributes you expect and whether a mount or security policy changes their handling. Resolve those environmental issues, then repeat the dry run.
The remote transfer is not protected
Inspect the endpoint syntax. A form such as host::module or rsync://host/module uses the direct daemon protocol, which is not encrypted by rsync. For sensitive data, switch to host:path over SSH or place the daemon behind an explicitly configured TLS wrapper.
Quick Recap
Choosing the right command
| Goal | Recommended starting command | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Preview an ordinary copy | rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes SOURCE/ DEST/ |
No files are changed; planned additions and updates are shown. |
| Perform an ordinary copy | rsync -av SOURCE/ DEST/ |
Copies or updates source contents without deleting destination-only entries. |
| Preview a mirror | rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes --delete SOURCE/ DEST/ |
Shows updates and destination entries that would be removed. |
| Perform a mirror | rsync -av --itemize-changes --delete SOURCE/ DEST/ |
Updates the destination and removes extraneous entries in synchronized directories. |
| Secure remote preview | rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes SOURCE/ user@host:path/ |
Previews an SSH remote-shell transfer without changing the remote destination. |
A practical safety checklist
- Is the first path definitely the source and the second path definitely the destination?
- Does the trailing slash produce the directory layout you want?
- Did you run
--dry-runwith--itemize-changes? - Did you inspect every listed deletion, not just transfers?
- Are excludes protecting files you need to retain?
- Are you passing a directory rather than a wildcard when using
--delete? - Is the destination filesystem mounted and writable?
- For remote work, are you using SSH or an explicitly protected alternative?
- Is the installed rsync version appropriate for any deletion-timing assumption?
- Have you removed
--dry-runonly after the preview matched your intent?
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