fdupes

FDUPES(1) General Commands Manual FDUPES(1)

NAME

   fdupes - finds duplicate files in a given set of directories

SYNOPSIS

   fdupes [ options ] DIRECTORY ...

DESCRIPTION

   Searches the given path for duplicate files. Such files are found by comparing file sizes and MD5 signatures, followed by a byte-by-byte comparison.

OPTIONS

   -r --recurse
          For every directory given follow subdirectories encountered within.

   -R --recurse:
          For each directory given after this option follow subdirectories encountered within (note the ':' at the end of option; see the Examples section below for further explanation).

   -s --symlinks
          Follow symlinked directories.

   -H --hardlinks
          Normally, when two or more files point to the same disk area they are treated as non-duplicates; this option will change this behavior.

   -G --minsize=SIZE
          Consider only files greater than or equal to SIZE in bytes.

   -L --maxsize=SIZE
          Consider only files less than or equal to SIZE in bytes.

   -c --cache
          Speed  up  file  comparisons  by keeping track of their signatures in a database; additional parameters may be provided using one or more cache parameters (as indicated below).
          Please note that this option may not be available on some systems.

   -x cache.OPTION
          Supply an optional cache parameter, where OPTION is one of the keywords below and multiple options may be supplied via successive -x arguments:

            readonly
              read but do not update file signatures

            prune
              look through entire cache and delete orphaned entries

            clear
              clear all entries from cache

            vacuum
              reduce size of DB file, if possible

          The options prune, clear, and vacuum may be employed without supplying a DIRECTORY argument, and will take effect even if readonly is also specified. The order of operations is
          always clear, prune, update signatures (unless readonly), and vacuum.

   -n --noempty
          Exclude zero-length files from consideration.

   -A --nohidden
          Exclude hidden files from consideration.

   -f --omitfirst
          Omit the first file in each set of matches.

   -1 --sameline
          List each set of matches on a single line.

   -S --size
          Show size of duplicate files.

   -t --time
          Show modification time of duplicate files.

   -m --summarize
          Summarize duplicate file information.

   -q --quiet
          Hide progress indicator.

   -d --delete
          Prompt user for files to preserve, deleting all others (see CAVEATS below).

   -D --deferconfirmation
          In interactive mode, defer byte-for-byte confirmation of duplicates until just before file deletion.

   -P --plain
          With --delete, use a line-based prompt (as with older versions of fdupes) instead of the new screen-mode interface. On installations where the screen-mode interface is not sup‐
          ported, fdupes will default to a line-based prompt.

   -N --noprompt
          When used together with --delete, preserve the first file in each set of duplicates and delete the others without prompting the user.

   -I --immediate
          Delete duplicates as they are encountered, without grouping into sets; implies --noprompt.

   -p --permissions
          Don't consider files with different owner/group or permission bits as duplicates.

   -o --order=WORD
          Order files according to WORD: time - sort by modification time, ctime - sort by status change time, name - sort by filename.

   -i --reverse
          Reverse order while sorting.

   -l --log=LOGFILE
          Log file deletion choices to LOGFILE.

   -v --version
          Display fdupes version.

   -h --help
          Display help.

NOTES

   Unless -1 or --sameline is specified, duplicate files are listed together in groups, each file displayed on a separate line. The groups are then separated from  each  other  by  blank
   lines.

   When -1 or --sameline is specified, spaces and backslash characters  (\) appearing in a filename are preceded by a backslash character.

EXAMPLES

   fdupes a --recurse: b
          Will follow subdirectories under b, but not those under a.

   fdupes a --recurse b
          Will follow subdirectories under both a and b.

CAVEATS

   When using -d or --delete, care should be taken to insure against accidental data loss.

   When used together with options -s or --symlink, a user could accidentally preserve a symlink while deleting the file it points to.

   Furthermore, when specifying a particular directory more than once, all files within that directory will be listed as their own duplicates, leading to data loss should a user preserve
   a file without its "duplicate" (the file itself!).

AUTHOR

   Adrian Lopez <adrianlopezroche@gmail.com>

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