How to copy a local directory with rsync

Project trees, export directories, and backup seeds often need a second local copy that can be refreshed without copying every unchanged file again. A local rsync transfer updates new and changed entries while leaving destination-only files untouched unless a delete option is added.

Local-only rsync mode applies when neither path contains remote-host syntax. The trailing slash on /srv/source/ copies its contents directly into /srv/destination/; omitting that slash creates a /source/ directory inside the destination instead.

Archive mode with --archive recurses and preserves symlinks, permissions, modification times, and the owner or group values that the receiving user is allowed to set. A normal user cannot preserve another owner or an unrelated group, and archive mode does not include ACLs, extended attributes, hard-link relationships, or sparse-file layout.

1. Choose the source and destination paths, and keep the source trailing slash when the destination should receive the directory contents. The current user must be able to read /srv/source/ and write to the parent of /srv/destination/.
2. Preview the copy with archive mode and itemized changes.

   $ rsync --archive --dry-run --itemize-changes /srv/source/ /srv/destination/
   created directory /srv/destination
   cd+++++++++ ./
   cd+++++++++ assets/
   >f+++++++++ assets/logo.svg
   cd+++++++++ bin/
   >f+++++++++ bin/publish.sh
   cd+++++++++ reports/
   >f+++++++++ reports/q2.csv

   Stop if the preview shows the wrong directory level or any path outside the intended tree.

3. Copy the directory with the same archive and itemization options.

   $ rsync --archive --itemize-changes /srv/source/ /srv/destination/
   created directory /srv/destination
   cd+++++++++ ./
   cd+++++++++ assets/
   >f+++++++++ assets/logo.svg
   cd+++++++++ bin/
   >f+++++++++ bin/publish.sh
   cd+++++++++ reports/
   >f+++++++++ reports/q2.csv

   No delete option is present, so files that exist only under /srv/destination/ remain in place. Use a dedicated mirror procedure when destination-only files must be removed.
   Related: How to mirror a directory with rsync and delete extra files

4. Check the destination layout.

   $ find /srv/destination -type f -print
   /srv/destination/assets/logo.svg
   /srv/destination/bin/publish.sh
   /srv/destination/reports/q2.csv

5. Compare the source and destination checksums.

   $ sha256sum /srv/source/assets/logo.svg /srv/destination/assets/logo.svg \
     /srv/source/bin/publish.sh /srv/destination/bin/publish.sh \
     /srv/source/reports/q2.csv /srv/destination/reports/q2.csv
   9a866eca964a2b200c4be8dcf451d2a0f1e41ef10c2a504d535372cde95e162e  /srv/source/assets/logo.svg
   9a866eca964a2b200c4be8dcf451d2a0f1e41ef10c2a504d535372cde95e162e  /srv/destination/assets/logo.svg
   3e00981c13f454b6d6f00075237bb1f8dcb2d5c2e21846076a450262731b48f0  /srv/source/bin/publish.sh
   3e00981c13f454b6d6f00075237bb1f8dcb2d5c2e21846076a450262731b48f0  /srv/destination/bin/publish.sh
   b8e9c119b27b3db7758d4b5d29cd50ce107910c96001f33fd5c599a39cca0c61  /srv/source/reports/q2.csv
   b8e9c119b27b3db7758d4b5d29cd50ce107910c96001f33fd5c599a39cca0c61  /srv/destination/reports/q2.csv

   Each source checksum should match the destination checksum directly below it.

6. Confirm that no content or archive-mode metadata remains pending.

   $ rsync --archive --checksum --dry-run --itemize-changes /srv/source/ /srv/destination/

   No itemized rows means rsync found no file-content or archive-mode metadata differences. --checksum reads file data on both sides, so reserve it for a decisive check rather than every routine refresh.