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.

       -G --minsize=SIZE
              Consider only files greater than or equal to SIZE in bytes.

       -L --maxsize=SIZE
              Consider only files less than or equal to SIZE in bytes.

       -c --cache
              Speed  up  file  comparisons  by  keeping  track of their signatures in a database;
              additional parameters may be provided  using  one  or  more  cache  parameters  (as
              indicated  below).  Please  note  that  this  option  may  not be available on some
              systems.

       -x cache.OPTION
              Supply an optional cache parameter, where OPTION is one of the keywords  below  and
              multiple options may be supplied via successive -x arguments:

                readonly
                  read but do not update file signatures

                prune
                  look through entire cache and delete orphaned entries

                clear
                  clear all entries from cache

                vacuum
                  reduce size of DB file, if possible

              The  options prune, clear, and vacuum may be employed without supplying a DIRECTORY
              argument, and will take effect even if readonly is also  specified.  The  order  of
              operations is always clear, prune, update signatures (unless readonly), and vacuum.

       -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).

       -D --deferconfirmation
              In  interactive  mode,  defer  byte-for-byte  confirmation of duplicates until just
              before file deletion.

       -P --plain
              With --delete, use a line-based prompt (as with older versions of  fdupes)  instead
              of  the new screen-mode interface. On installations where the screen-mode interface
              is not supported, fdupes will default to a line-based prompt.

       -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
              Display help.

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

       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)