Frequently Asked Questions

What is rsync?

rsnyc is a powerful command line tool for syncing files between two places. People often use it for syncing backups to an external drive or server, sync websites from their local to production, or simply moving a file from one place to another.

What is Rsyncinator?

Rsyncinator is a GUI for rsync. Because rsync is so powerful, its features can sometimes be un-obvious. Rsyncinator lets you configure your command visually before running it.

What's the difference between the web and Mac versions?

The Mac version has more features, including saving common configurations and supports the file picker for selecting local paths. It's also built from the ground up for Mac, and supports multiple windows, tabs, and feels like a native Mac app (because it is!).

Common commands

Compare two directories

Source and explanation

rsync -rvnc --delete #{[SOURCE]}/ #{[DEST]}

Sync local directory to remote with SSH

Source and explanation

rsync -azPe ssh #{[LOCAL SOURCE]} #{[SSH ADDRESS]}:#{[REMOTE
              DESTINATION]}

Sync remote directory to local with SSH

Source and explanation

rsync -azPe ssh #{[SSH ADDRESS]}:#{[REMOTE SOURCE]} #{[LOCAL
              DESTINATION]}

Backup files

Source and explanation

rsync -azP --backup --backup-dir=#{[BACKUP DIRECTORY]}
              #{[SOURCE]} #{[DESTINATION]}

Exclude specific files and directories

Source and explanation

rsync -avz --exclude file1.txt --exclude vendor/* #{[SOURCE]}/
              #{[DESTINATION]}/