jdupes

jdupes is a command line tool used for finding and eliminating duplicate files within a directory or multiple directories. It was developed by Jody Bruchon in 2015 and is open-source software. It is written in the C programming language and is available for multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

The main purpose of jdupes is to identify duplicate files based on their content, not just their names or sizes. It uses an advanced algorithm to compare file contents, ensuring accurate results. This algorithm is efficient and can quickly scan large directories with thousands of files.

jdupes offers several command line options and flags that allow users to customize the search and deletion process. For example, it can exclude certain files or directories from the scan, provide verbose output, or even simulate deletion without actually removing any files.

The tool provides a variety of deletion modes, including interactive, preserve-first, and immediate deletion. The interactive mode allows users to choose which duplicates to keep or remove, while the preserve-first mode keeps the first occurrence of each duplicate and deletes the rest. Immediate deletion directly removes all duplicates without any user intervention.

jdupes can also create hard links or symbolic links to eliminate duplicate files, saving disk space while maintaining file accessibility. Additionally, it supports specifying a reference path, allowing users to compare files in different directories for duplicates.

Overall, jdupes is a reliable and efficient command line tool for identifying and managing duplicate files. It is a popular choice for users looking to declutter their file systems and recover wasted disk space.