Keep Files in Sync

Perfect Harmony

© Photo by Colton Sturgeon on Unsplash

© Photo by Colton Sturgeon on Unsplash

Article from Issue 306/2026
Author(s):

FreeFileSync and Syncthing let you keep your files in sync between two computers on your local network or across the Internet.

Linux users are spoiled for choice when it comes to backups and file syncing. Rsync has been around forever, cron jobs are just a config file away, and most desktops ship with some sort of backup app baked in. But once your needs go beyond "copy this folder once a week," things get complicated fast.

That's where FreeFileSync and Syncthing come in. They solve related problems, but in very different ways, and that's exactly why it makes sense to use both.

FreeFileSync is your heavy-duty backup and synchronization workhorse. It's perfect for scheduled backup jobs, mirroring drives, or when you need fine-grained control over exactly how files get synced.

[...]

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