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World L4: Remote Kitchens

Copy files: scp and rsync

You will learn: to send files to a server, and to send only what changed.

Checked with Linux (Debian 13) on 1 Nov 2026

The problem

laptop (lab)
rsync -av site/ kedai:shop/
sending incremental file list
./
menu.html
sent 186 bytes received 44 bytes 460.00 bytes/sec
total size is 58 speedup is 0.25

You changed one price on the menu. Only menu.html travelled. The other files stayed put. How did it know?

Try it

First the simple courier: scp copies over SSH, every time. Build “copy menu.txt to my home folder on kedai”.

Tap the pieces in the right order.

…

Watch

laptop (lab)
rsync -av site/ kedai:shop/
sending incremental file list
created directory shop
./
index.html
menu.html
old.html
sent 313 bytes received 103 bytes 832.00 bytes/sec
total size is 62 speedup is 0.15

rsync: A smart courier. It compares both sides and carries only what changed. is a smart courier. It compares both sides first, then carries only what differs. -a keeps times and permissions. -v lists each file.

Predict

You leave out the slash: rsync -av site kedai:copy/. Then you list both folders on kedai. What did the slash change?

copy/site/menu.html
copy/site/index.html
shop/menu.html
shop/index.html

Try it

You want kedai’s shop folder to match your site folder exactly, extras removed. --delete can remove files there. Put the safe steps in order.

First step at the top. Put these in order. Use the arrows, or drag.

  • rsync -av --delete --dry-run site/ kedai:shop/
  • rsync -av --delete site/ kedai:shop/
  • curl the page to check it
  • Read the list: is every deleting line expected?

Watch

laptop (lab)
rsync -av --delete --dry-run site/ kedai:shop/
sending incremental file list
deleting old.html
sent 104 bytes received 31 bytes 270.00 bytes/sec
total size is 58 speedup is 0.43 (DRY RUN)

--dry-run says what would happen and changes nothing. Here: deleting old.html. Expected? Then run it for real.

Check

scp or rsync?

Drag a card into a box. Or tap the card, then tap the box.

      You did it!

      You can now send files to a server, and sync a folder safely.

      Go deeper (optional)

      Our practice server stands alone. These outputs came from two real Debian 13 machines. rsync must be on both machines: sudo apt install rsync. Copy back the other way with scp kedai:menu.txt . (the dot means here).

      Real mission

      1. scp notes.txt myvm:
      2. rsync -av --dry-run site/ myvm:site/
      3. rsync -av site/ myvm:site/

      0 of 3 steps done · Your ticks are saved.