SCP (Secure Copy) and rsync transfer files over SSH. SCP is simpler for one-time copies; rsync is better for syncing because it skips unchanged files and can resume interrupted transfers.
SCP basics:
$ scp file user@host:/path # copy file to remote $ scp user@host:/path/file . # copy from remote $ scp -r dir user@host:/path # copy directory recursively $ scp -P 2222 file user@host:/path # use non-standard port (note: -P not -p)
Preserve permissions and timestamps:
$ scp -p file user@host:/path
Copy between two remotes:
$ scp -3 user1@host1:/path user2@host2:/path
Rsync is more powerful (delta transfer, resume, delete):
$ rsync -av -e ssh dir user@host:/path $ rsync -av --delete -e ssh dir user@host:/path # also delete files on remote $ rsync -av --partial -e ssh dir user@host:/path # keep partial files for resume
Common rsync options:
-a archive (recurse, preserve permissions/times) -v verbose -z compress -P show progress and keep partial files --delete delete files on dest not on source --exclude pattern skip matching files -e "ssh -p 2222" use specific SSH port
Rsync for syncing directories:
$ rsync -av -e ssh ~/mydir user@host:~/backup/
Subsequent syncs only transfer changed files, making rsync much faster for repeated syncs.
Dry run (show what would be copied):
$ rsync -av --dry-run -e ssh dir user@host:/path
Both SCP and rsync encrypt traffic via SSH.