rsync tidbits

useful flags for local syncing; long format used for clarity

• --update / -u # if file exists, overwrite only if fromfile is newer than tofile
• --archive / -a
• --partial --progress / -P # update with deltas, show progress. can be combined as -P

useful for network syncing

• --compress / -z

useful but optional

• --exclude '.Trash*' # don't copy these files. Use multiple times if needed.
• --delete # delete anything on the remote that doesn't exist locally
• --delete-excluded # delete anything that is specified with --exclude
• --backup # make backups of anything overwritten
• --backup-dir ~/.rsync-backups # ...and put them here

These are kinda obsessive

• --acls
• --hard-links
• --rsync-path=/usr/local/bin/rsync
• --exclude 'Library'
• --exclude '.serverauth*'
• --exclude 'Google Drive'
• --exclude 'VirtualBox VMs'

example:

rsync -uaPz --exclude '.Trash*' --delete --delete-excluded --backup \
      --backup-dir ~/.rsync-backups ~/Box Sync/ ~/box-backup