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What rsync -av actually does
The command rsync -av SOURCE/ DEST/ is a readable baseline for copying one directory tree to another. The two options have separate jobs:
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-a(archive mode) is rsync’s archive preset. It includes recursive copying and preservation of common file attributes, making it suitable for maintaining a directory tree rather than copying only a flat list of files.-v(verbose mode) increases the output so you can see what rsync is processing. It is especially useful while testing paths, filters, and a proposed mirror.
Archive mode does not mean “make a perfect image of every possible filesystem feature.” It is a preset for recursive copying and common attribute preservation. If your job depends on a particular permission, ownership, link, timestamp, mount, or filesystem behavior, verify that the account running rsync and both filesystems support what you expect before treating the command as a backup or mirror.
The slash after SOURCE is not cosmetic. It controls whether rsync copies the directory’s contents into the destination or copies the directory entry itself. Decide that before adding any other option.
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The trailing slash: contents versus the directory itself
| Source form | Destination form | Result | Typical intent |
|---|---|---|---|
/data/project/ |
/backup/ |
The contents of project are synchronized into /backup/. |
Update an existing destination directory with the source tree’s contents. |
/data/project |
/backup/ |
The project directory entry is placed beneath /backup/, producing /backup/project when appropriate. |
Copy the directory as an object under the destination. |
For a contents-to-contents operation, write both paths explicitly and consistently:
rsync -av /data/project/ /backup/project/For a directory-entry operation, omit the source slash:
rsync -av /data/project /backup/Before a live run, check the resulting path mentally. Ask, “Should a file named notes.txt end up at /backup/project/notes.txt or at /backup/notes.txt?” That single question catches many otherwise confusing rsync results.
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Preview every change with --dry-run
--dry-run, also written -n, performs a trial run without making changes and produces mostly the same output as a real run. The official documentation recommends combining it with -v and/or -i, the short form of --itemize-changes, so the planned work is visible before the transfer.
A safe first command for a non-destructive copy is:
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes /data/project/ /backup/project/Read the output as a plan, not as proof that the live command can never fail. It shows what rsync intends to process under the paths and options you supplied. It does not replace checking that the destination is the intended disk, that the destination is mounted, or that the account has the required access.
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What to inspect in the preview
- Every path that will be copied or updated.
- Unexpected top-level directories, which often indicate a trailing-slash mistake.
- Files that appear because an exclude rule is missing or too broad.
- Permission, ownership, or mount-point assumptions that could make the live result differ from your operational intent.
- Any deletion lines when
--deleteis present.
If the preview is not exactly what you want, stop. Correct the paths, filters, or options and run another preview. Do not “try it live and see.”
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What --delete deletes—and why it is dangerous
--delete removes extraneous entries from the receiving side: items in the destination’s synchronized tree that are not present in the sending side’s synchronized tree. It is destination cleanup, not source cleanup. A source file is not deleted merely because it is copied; the option concerns the receiving side.
“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.”
Use it only when the destination is intended to mirror the source’s current tree. It is usually inappropriate for a destination that should accumulate independent files, such as a manually maintained archive or a folder where people add documents that do not exist in the source.
Use a directory path, not a shell wildcard
For deletion scanning, express the source as the directory itself:
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes --delete /data/project/ /backup/project/Do not replace the source directory with a shell-expanded wildcard such as:
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rsync -av --delete /data/project/* /backup/project/The wildcard is expanded by the shell before rsync starts. That prevents rsync from receiving the parent-directory context needed for the deletion scan, so it cannot safely evaluate the complete synchronized tree in the same way. Use /data/project/ and let rsync traverse it.
Excluded files and deletion
Excluded files are protected from deletion unless you deliberately use --delete-excluded or filter rules that change that behavior. This distinction matters when the destination contains generated files, local configuration, or other content excluded from the transfer. Review your filters in the dry run instead of assuming that every destination-only file will disappear—or that every destination-only file will be retained.
Ordinary synchronization versus a mirror
| Decision point | Ordinary synchronization | Mirror synchronization |
|---|---|---|
| Core command | rsync -av SOURCE/ DEST/ |
rsync -av --delete SOURCE/ DEST/ |
| Destination-only entries | Remain unless another rule removes them. | Eligible for removal when they are extraneous in the synchronized tree. |
| Preview requirement | Strongly recommended to verify paths and changes. | Essential; inspect every proposed deletion first. |
| Excluded destination files | Remain excluded from the transfer. | Remain protected unless --delete-excluded or filter rules change that protection. |
| Source expression | Use a directory path and choose the trailing slash intentionally. | Use the directory path, never a shell-expanded dir/*, so deletion scanning has the parent context. |
A mirror is not automatically a better backup. Its defining behavior is that destination cleanup follows the source tree. If a source file is removed accidentally, a later mirror run can make that absence true at the destination as well. Keep a separate recovery strategy when you need historical versions or protection from source mistakes.
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- Confirm the direction. Write down which path is the sender and which is the receiver. In rsync syntax, the source comes first and the destination second.
- Choose the trailing-slash behavior. Decide whether you want the source directory’s contents in the destination or the directory entry beneath it. Use
SOURCE/for contents andSOURCEfor the directory itself. - Begin with a non-destructive preview. Run
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes SOURCE/ DEST/. Keep the source and destination paths exactly as you intend to use them later. - Read the complete output. Look for unexpected paths, missing paths, changed files, and any indication that the destination is not the filesystem you meant to use.
- Review filters and exclusions. Confirm that excluded files are intentionally protected and that no pattern hides content you expected to transfer.
- Check operational prerequisites. Verify permissions, available mounts, and the identity of the account running the command. A correct path on an unmounted filesystem can point at an ordinary empty directory instead of the storage you intended.
- Add deletion only for a real mirror. If destination cleanup is required, repeat the preview with
--delete:rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes --delete SOURCE/ DEST/. - Inspect deletion lines individually. Any deletion you cannot explain is a reason to stop and revise the command.
- Run the live command. Remove only
--dry-runafter the preview is correct. Keep--deleteif and only if mirror behavior remains the requirement. - Record the command and version. For repeatable jobs, keep the exact paths, filters, options, and installed rsync version with the job documentation.
Examples: harmless copy first, mirror second
Copy or update without destination cleanup
Preview:
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes /home/alex/Documents/ /mnt/backup/Documents/Live run after reviewing the output:
rsync -av /home/alex/Documents/ /mnt/backup/Documents/This updates the destination with the source contents while leaving destination-only entries alone. It is the safer starting point when you are unsure whether the destination contains files that must be retained.
Mirror a directory deliberately
Preview the mirror:
rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes --delete /home/alex/Documents/ /mnt/backup/Documents/Only after reviewing every proposed removal should you run:
rsync -av --itemize-changes --delete /home/alex/Documents/ /mnt/backup/Documents/The live command removes destination entries that are extraneous in the synchronized source tree. It does not remove source files as part of ordinary mirror operation.
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Using rsync over a remote connection
With host:path syntax, rsync uses a remote shell with SSH by default. The official security guidance describes this form as authenticating the peer and encrypting the connection. That makes it the appropriate default for sensitive transfers when SSH is correctly configured.
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rsync -av --dry-run --itemize-changes /data/project/ user@example-host:/srv/project/Direct daemon forms such as host::module and rsync:// are not encrypted. Do not treat their rsync protocol as equivalent to an SSH-encrypted remote shell. Sensitive transfers should use SSH or an explicitly configured TLS wrapper appropriate to your environment.
Receive untrusted files into a dedicated directory
When receiving from an untrusted sender, avoid merging remote content directly into your home directory. Use a dedicated destination so the incoming tree is isolated and its paths are easier to inspect:
rsync -aiv host1:dir1 ~/host1-filesThe dedicated directory does not make untrusted content harmless, but it prevents an import command from intentionally or accidentally mixing the remote tree into unrelated personal files. Preview the receive operation first, just as you would for a local copy.
Delete 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. The choice can affect when destination entries disappear, memory use, and the timing observed by other processes.
Most users do not need to choose a timing mode manually, but scripts that depend on exact deletion timing should check the installed rsync version and document the behavior they require. Do not assume that two hosts with different rsync generations will perform deletion at the same point in the run.
Common mistakes and recovery checks
The destination contains an unexpected extra directory
Recheck the source trailing slash. A source written without the slash can copy the directory entry beneath the destination, while a source with the slash copies its contents into the destination. Run a dry run with the corrected form before making changes.
The command proposes to remove files you expected to keep
First confirm that --delete is actually required. Then check whether the files are outside the source tree, whether an exclude rule is behaving differently than intended, and whether the destination path is correct. Do not proceed until every proposed deletion has a reason.
Deletion does not cover the tree you expected
Check that the source is a directory path such as /data/project/, not a shell-expanded wildcard such as /data/project/*. The wildcard removes the parent-directory context rsync needs for a complete deletion scan.
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Inspect the remote syntax. host:path invokes the SSH-backed remote shell by default; host::module and rsync:// are direct daemon forms and are not encrypted. Change the transport or add an explicitly configured TLS wrapper before transferring sensitive data.
The preview looks correct but the live run targets the wrong storage
Verify mounts and filesystem identity immediately before the live command. A path can exist even when the expected removable or network filesystem is not mounted. The safe workflow’s mount check is part of the command, not an optional afterthought.
A compact preflight checklist
- Source and destination are in the intended order.
- The source trailing slash matches the desired contents-versus-directory behavior.
- The preview uses
--dry-runand preferably--itemize-changes. - Every unexpected path has been explained.
--deleteis present only for an intentional mirror.- The source is a directory path, not
dir/*, when deletion scanning is needed. - Excludes protect exactly the files you intend to keep.
- Permissions, mounts, and the destination filesystem have been checked.
- Remote sensitive transfers use SSH or a separately configured encrypted wrapper.
- Receives from untrusted senders use a dedicated destination directory.
- The installed rsync version is known when deletion timing matters.
The practical rule
Treat rsync as a precise file-tree operation, not as a command to guess at. Use -a for recursive copying with common attribute preservation, -v to make processing visible, and --dry-run --itemize-changes to turn the planned operation into something you can inspect. Add --delete only when destination mirroring is the explicit goal, and use the directory path—not a wildcard—so rsync can evaluate the complete tree.
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