# What are rsync modules?

## kramer2718

Hi.  Maybe I'm just stupid, but I can't use rsync and the man page is a bit cryptic.

From "man rsync"

 *Quote:*   

> CONNECTING TO AN RSYNC SERVER OVER A REMOTE SHELL PROGRAM
> 
> ...
> 
>        In  order  to  distinguish  between the remote-shell user and the rsync
> ...

 

What the heck is "module"?

I started an rsync daemon on my box via:

```
/etc/init.d/rsyncd start
```

I thought that's all I would have to do, but according to the man page:

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> rsync somehost.mydomain.com::
> 
>        This  would  list all the anonymous rsync modules available on the host
> ...

 

When I do that I get no output, so I guess that I need to install these missing "modules" that the man page does not explain.

Any help?

Thanks, guys.

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## systerfrida

Modules are like shortcuts, or aliases, for paths that you want to rsync with. They're defined in /etc/rsyncd.conf. You can use rsync without defining any modules too, just specify the path instead:

```

rsync user@host:/path/to/files /path/to/sync/to

```

If you defined a new module in /etc/rsyncd.conf like so:

```

# Example module

[my-rsync-module]

    path = /path/to/files

    comment = My rsync Module

```

then

```

rsync user@host::my-rsync-module /path/to/sync/to

```

would do the same as the first rsync-command.

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