Don’t risk data loss. Back up your valuable data from the Linux command line. We’ll be using the rsync command for this, and we’ve even found some nice optional graphical interfaces for it.
There are many ways to accomplish making a backup copy of your files. We wanted to show you a robust, flexible, and reliable way to protect your data. We choose rsync because of its well-respected algorithms that calculate the differences between files in the source directory and the target directory. Only the differences between two versions of a file are transferred, not the whole file if that can be avoided.
When this efficiency is paired with its solid track record in performing file copies and directory synchronizations since the mid-1990’s, rsync is a perfect candidate for creating backups from the Linux command line.
Additionally, there are independent software programs that act as a front-end for rsync. They provide graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to rsync which some people may find easier to use.
The simpler and faster it is to make a backup, the more likely you are to do so.
