Core Commands

This module provides a dedicated reference for every essential rclone command. Each page covers syntax, key flags, practical examples, common pitfalls, and related commands.

Standard Pattern

Preflight → Dry Run → Execute with logs → Verify

Learning-Path Lessons

These guides teach core concepts through grouped workflows:

Lesson	Outcome
Copy, Sync, Move	Choose the correct transfer policy
Paths and Remote Syntax	Avoid mistargeting buckets/prefixes
Check, Hash, and Dry Run	Prove correctness before and after runs

Command Reference

Setup and Configuration

Command	What It Does
config	Create/edit remotes (interactive setup)
listremotes	Show configured remotes
version	Show version/build info
help	Help system

Transfer Commands

Command	What It Does
copy	Copy files (non-destructive)
sync	Make destination match source (destructive on dst)
move	Move files (source removed after)
copyto	Copy to a specific file/path
moveto	Move to a specific file/path

Listing and Inspection

Command	What It Does
ls	List files (recursive)
lsd	List directories
lsf	List files with customizable formats
size	Count objects and total bytes
about	Storage quota/usage (backend-dependent)
cat	Print remote file to stdout

Verification and Hashing

Command	What It Does
check	Verify hashes/sizes between source and dest
md5sum	Generate MD5 sums
sha1sum	Generate SHA-1 sums
hashsum	Generate chosen hash sums

Deletion and Cleanup

Command	What It Does
delete	Delete files (leaves dirs)
purge	Delete everything including root dir contents
mkdir	Create directory
rmdir	Remove empty directory
rmdirs	Remove empty directories recursively
dedupe	Resolve duplicate files (common on Drive)
cleanup	Backend cleanup (e.g., trash, temp)

Filesystem and Serving

Command	What It Does
mount	Mount a remote as a filesystem
serve	Serve remotes over protocols (WebDAV, HTTP, etc.)

Drill

Run a sync dry-run and confirm you can explain every planned delete/change.

rclone sync /srv/data remote-prod:labs/core --dry-run -vv