Rsync include/exclude rule explorer

Filter list

Target search intent: rsync include exclude order, rsync filter rules, rsync skipping files, and rsync exclude everything except one directory.

What this page explains

• First matching rule wins for each file or directory path.
• Patterns without a slash match a single path component, not the whole path.
• Patterns ending in / only match directories.
• An excluded parent directory blocks traversal even if a later file rule would have included a child.

This is focused on the everyday --include / --exclude debugging flow, not every last rsync filter modifier.

Read the launch note for this sysadmin explorer.

Common fix patterns

• For “only copy this nested file”, include each parent directory before the file path.
• If you exclude *, add a directory include like + */ if you still need traversal.
• Put broader excludes after the narrower includes they should not override.
• Use anchored patterns like /build/ when you mean the transfer root, not any matching directory name.

Matching refresher

• * matches within one path component.
• ** can cross directory separators.
• ? matches one non-slash character.
• A pattern with no slash behaves like a basename match against each path segment.