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Meaning of rsync itemized output

See also:

  1. Main rsync page
  2. Manual page section for itemized output

The -i or --itemize-changes flag is especially helpful when trying to compare two directory trees when used with the -n or --dry-run argument. Or to document what was changed during a copy (direct the output into a text file since there can be a lot of info flying past you).

However, it produces a cryptic string 11 letters long for each file or directory. We have copied a useful chart from the Internet that you can consult.

The general format is like the string YXcstpoguax, where:

  1. Y is replaced by the type of update being done,
  2. X is replaced by the file-type, and
  3. the other letters represent what is different/changed.
    • A + char means file is being created, so this attribute was changed
    • A . char means this attribute was not changed
  YXcstpoguax  path/to/file
  |||||||||||
  `-------------------------- the TYPE OF UPDATE:
   ||||||||||   <: file is being transferred to the remote host (sent).
   ||||||||||   >: file is being transferred to the local host (received).
   ||||||||||   c: local change/creation for the item, such as:
   ||||||||||      - the creation of a directory
   ||||||||||      - the changing of a symlink,
   ||||||||||      - etc.
   ||||||||||   h: the item is a hard link to another item (requires --hard-links). 
   ||||||||||   "+" - the file is newly created
   ||||||||||   .: the item is not being updated (though it might have attributes that are being modified).
   ||||||||||   *: means that the rest of the itemized-output area contains a message (e.g. "deleting").
   ||||||||||
   `----------------------------- the FILE TYPE:
    |||||||||   f for a file,
    |||||||||   d for a directory,
    |||||||||   L for a symlink,
    |||||||||   D for a device,
    |||||||||   S for a special file (e.g. named sockets and fifos).
    |||||||||
    `--------- c: different checksum (for regular files)
     ||||||||     CHANGED VALUE (for symlink, device, and special file)
     `-------- s: Size is different
      `------- t: Modification time is different
       `------ p: Permission are different
        `----- o: Owner is different
         `---- g: Group is different
          `--- u: The u slot is reserved for future use.
           `-- a: The ACL information changed