FreeFileSync for Linux

Visual folder comparison and synchronization

Overview

FreeFileSync is a tool made for Linux that helps you compare and sync folders.

It is useful when you want to back up important files or keep folders on different devices up to date.

What makes FreeFileSync efficient is that it only copies the files that have changed instead of copying everything again.

This saves time and computer resources.

One useful feature is that FreeFileSync can open files using other programs or run custom scripts to automate tasks.

However, if you run FreeFileSync as a Flatpak (a common way to install Linux apps safely), it will not be able to access these external programs or scripts right away.

By default, the Flatpak sandbox keeps FreeFileSync isolated from the rest of your system to improve security.

If you want FreeFileSync to use programs and commands from your main Linux system while inside the Flatpak sandbox, you need to set some permissions manually.

You can do this by running a command in the terminal: ``` flatpak override --user --socket=session-bus org.freefilesync.FreeFileSync ``` Alternatively, you can use the Flatseal app, which provides an easier way to change Flatpak permissions.

After enabling this access, you can run host system commands by adding “flatpak-spawn --host” before the command inside FreeFileSync.

In summary, FreeFileSync is a reliable Linux utility for syncing folders with smart copying and custom options.

Just remember to configure sandbox permissions if you want to run external apps or scripts while using the Flatpak version.

Pros

  • Efficiently synchronizes folders by transferring only the differences between source and target.
  • Allows opening files in external applications or running custom scripts.
  • Can be configured to access host system applications and commands when sandboxed as Flatpak.

Cons

  • External applications or scripts from the host system are not accessible when sandboxed as Flatpak by default.
  • Requires manual configuration to enable access to host applications or commands in Flatpak sandbox.

Software details

Platform
Linux
Free license
Yes
Project license
GPL-3.0
Mobile friendly
No
Bug tracker
https://freefilesync.org/forum/

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