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

       -n --noempty
              exclude zero-length files from consideration

       -f --omitfirst
              omit the first file in each set of matches

       -A --nohidden
              exclude hidden files from consideration

       -1 --sameline
              list each set of matches on a single line

       -S --size
              show size of duplicate files

       -m --summarize
              summarize duplicate files information

       -q --quiet
              hide progress indicator

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

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

       -v --version
              display fdupes version

       -h --help
              displays help

SEE ALSO

       md5sum(1)

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

       If fdupes returns with an error message such as fdupes: error invoking md5sum it means the
       program has been  compiled  to  use  an  external  program  to  calculate  MD5  signatures
       (otherwise,  fdupes  uses  internal  routines for this purpose), and an error has occurred
       while attempting to execute it. If this is the  case,  the  specified  program  should  be
       properly installed prior to running fdupes.

       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 <adrian2@caribe.net>

                                                                                        FDUPES(1)