macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install rdiff-backuplocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install rdiff-backupMacPorts ports tree · python/rdiff-backup/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 7627
Install rdiff-backup with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper, scoop
Reverse differential backup tool, over a network or locally. Version 2.2.6 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-13. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install rdiff-backup.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add rdiff-backupAlpine Linux edge package indexes · rdiff-backup · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install rdiff-backupDebian stable package indexes · rdiff-backup · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install rdiff-backupFedora Rawhide package metadata · rdiff-backup · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#rdiff-backupnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/rd/rdiff-backup/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install rdiff-backupopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · rdiff-backup · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install main/rdiff-backupScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/rdiff-backup.json · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Reverse differential backup tool, over a network or locally
Project links
Commands and aliases
- rdiff-backup
- rdiff-backup-delete
- rdiff-backup-statistics
history
Project history and usage
rdiff-backup is a local and network-capable backup tool that keeps the latest backup as an ordinary mirror while storing earlier states as reverse differences.
Project history
Ben Escoto originated and maintained rdiff-backup from 2001 to 2005. Dean Gaudet, Andrew Ferguson, and Edward Ned Harvey were key contributors from 2005 through 2016.
After a period of hibernation, Sol1 assumed stewardship in 2016 without producing a release. Eric Lavarde, supported by Otto Kekäläinen and Patrik Dufresne, took over in 2019, completed the Python 3 rewrite, and released version 2.0 in March 2020.
Adoption history
The official history describes nearly two decades of use before the 2.0 revival. Packaging across major Linux distributions, BSD-oriented ecosystems, macOS, Windows package managers, and Nix reflects broad cross-platform adoption.
The Python 3 rewrite restored a maintained release line while preserving rdiff-backup's established repository model.
How it is used
Users back up one directory to another locally or through a remote rdiff-backup process, commonly transported over SSH. Restore commands select a time or increment, while retention commands remove history older than a specified age.
The program accepts an arbitrary user-chosen options file through @filename, but the official manual specifies no standard configuration-file location.
Why package nerds care
rdiff-backup combines a directly browsable current mirror with reverse-differential history. Package enthusiasts value this unusual design because it supplies incremental retention without periodic space-consuming full backups.
Its remote mode transfers differences through a pipe and is commonly paired with SSH, placing it between rsync-style synchronization and traditional archival backup software.
Timeline
- 2001: Ben Escoto began the original project.
- 2005: The original maintainer period ended and key contributors continued development.
- 2016: Sol1 assumed stewardship after a period of hibernation.
- 2019: Eric Lavarde, Otto Kekäläinen, and Patrik Dufresne began the modern revival.
- 2020: Version 2.0, completing the Python 3 rewrite, was released in March.
Related projects
- rdiff-backup is conceptually related to rsync and uses bandwidth-efficient delta transfer, but additionally retains reverse increments under rdiff-backup-data.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:network,backup
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 3 runtime dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
rdiff-backup | cli | global executable | |
rdiff-backup-delete | cli | global executable | |
rdiff-backup-statistics | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-09-19
manager version2.2.6
manager updated2026-09-13
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://rdiff-backup.net/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:rdiff-backup |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.2.6 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/rdiff-backup |
| Homepage | https://rdiff-backup.net/ |
| Upstream docs | https://rdiff-backup.net/ |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/e9/9b/487229306904a54c33f485161105bb3f0a6c87951c90a54efdc0fc04a1c9/rdiff-backup-2.2.6.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-09-13T05:36:53Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | librsync, libyaml, python@3.14 |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | rdiff-backup |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 2 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
rdiff-backup 2.2.6-3+b1
remote incremental backup
sudo apt install rdiff-backup- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: rdiff-backup
- 4 dependencies
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
Nix95%
rdiff-backup
nix profile install nixpkgs#rdiff-backup- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
Ubuntu apt95%
rdiff-backup 2.2.6-1build2
remote incremental backup
sudo apt install rdiff-backup- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 7 dependencies
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
apk95%
rdiff-backup 2.2.6-r2
Reverse differential backup tool
sudo apk add rdiff-backup- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: rdiff-backup
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
apk95%
rdiff-backup-bash-completion 2.2.6-r2
Bash completions for rdiff-backup
sudo apk add rdiff-backup-bash-completion- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: rdiff-backup
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
apk95%
rdiff-backup-doc 2.2.6-r2
Reverse differential backup tool (documentation)
sudo apk add rdiff-backup-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: rdiff-backup
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
apk95%
rdiff-backup-pyc 2.2.6-r2
Precompiled Python bytecode for rdiff-backup
sudo apk add rdiff-backup-pyc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: rdiff-backup
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
dnf95%
rdiff-backup 2.2.6-17.fc46
Convenient and transparent local/remote incremental mirror/backup
sudo dnf install rdiff-backup- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: rdiff-backup
- 6 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
zypper95%
rdiff-backup 2.2.6-2.10
Convenient and transparent local/remote incremental mirror/backup
sudo zypper install rdiff-backup- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Productivity/Archiving/Backup
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: rdiff-backup
- 7 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
MacPorts95%
rdiff-backup
sudo port install rdiff-backup- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
Scoop95%
main/rdiff-backup
scoop install main/rdiff-backup- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdiff Backup
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation