fdupes - finds duplicate files in a given set of directories
fdupes [ options ] DIRECTORY ...
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.
- -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
- -L --maxsize==SIZE
- consider only files less than or equal to SIZE
- -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)
- -P --plain
- with --delete, use line-based prompt (as with older versions of fdupes)
instead of screen-mode interface
- -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
- displays help
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.
- 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.
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!).
Adrian Lopez <adrian2@caribe.net>