How to exclude subdirectory from rsync?

Question

I'm using rsync to recursively sync a remote folder tree that looks something like this:

/folderA/a1/cache
/folderA/a1/cache/A1
/folderA/a1/cache/A2
/folderA/a1/somefolder
/folderA/a1/someotherfolder
/folderA/a2/somefolder/cache
/folderB/cache/
/folderB/b1/somefolder/cache
/folderB/b1/somefolder/yetanotherfolder/cache
/folderB/b1/somefolder/yetanotherfolder/cache/B1
/folderB/b1/somefolder/yetanotherfolder/cache/B2

I don't know what the folder tree will look like and it will change over time. So what I want to be able to do is recursively rsync the above but exclude the folder "cache" and any sub folders it contains:

/folderA/a1
/folderA/a1/somefolder
/folderA/a1/someotherfolder
/folderA/a2/somefolder
/folderB/
/folderB/b1/somefolder
/folderB/b1/somefolder/yetanotherfolder/

Any suggestions?

See also an [rsync filter tutorial](http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/2161/rsync-filter-copying-one-pattern-only/2503#2503). — Gilles 'SO- stop being evil', Jan 13 '11 at 20:35

score 103 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 11 '23 at 15:30

103

You want the --exclude flag. For example, a local rsync:

rsync -a --exclude cache/ src_folder/ target_folder/

It really is that simple -- that exclude rule will match a directory named "cache" anywhere in your tree.

For more information, look for "--exclude" and the "FILTER RULES" section on the rsync man page:

http://www.samba.org/ftp/rsync/rsync.html

if you only want ONE cache directory like a1/cache then you would do:

--exclude 'a1/cache'

edited Aug 11 '23 at 15:30

Trevor Boyd Smith

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answered Jan 13 '11 at 09:25

Jander

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1

Doh!!. Thanks it is the simple answers that I like best :-) – TheEdge Jan 16 '11 at 00:38
2

What about not anywhere in the tree? Like, only exclude `a/cache`. **UPD** See [this answer](http://unix.stackexchange.com/a/83403/29867) – x-yuri Nov 12 '15 at 15:50
3

Also `--exclude /cache/` (with the leading /) will only exclude `a/cache` directory, not any directory named `cache`. – Amir Ali Akbari Dec 19 '15 at 13:07
Why `a/ b/` in the above command line, what does it mean? – Danijel Dec 24 '15 at 09:13
1

@Danijel: `a/` is the directory we're syncing (or copying) from; `b/` is the directory we're syncing into. – Jander Dec 25 '15 at 04:48

How to exclude subdirectory from rsync?

1 Answers1