---
type: entity
title: FreeFileSync
tags: [software, synchronization, open-source]
related: [realtimesync, file-synchronization, nas.rz.uni-greifswald.de]
created: 2026-06-30
updated: 2026-06-30
sources: ["output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_allgemein_zentrale_datenspeicherung_fileserver_sync.md"]
---

# FreeFileSync

**FreeFileSync** is a free software tool used at the Universität Greifswald to synchronize local files with the central file server ([[nas.rz.uni-greifswald.de]]). It is compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS.

## Functionality
The tool allows users to compare two directories (local and remote) and synchronize them based on selected logic.

### Synchronization Modes
- **Two-Way Synchronization**: The preferred method for most users. It merges changes from both the source and target directories, ensuring both remain identical.
- **Mirroring**: The target directory is forced to match the source exactly. Any changes made directly to the target directory are overwritten by the source.

## Integration with URZ Infrastructure
Users can target the central file server using:
- A mapped network drive.
- A UNC path: `\\nas-has.rz.uni-greifswald.de\Freigabename\Verzeichnispfad`.

For automation, FreeFileSync allows the creation of **Batch Jobs**, which can be configured to run minimized, ignore errors, and save logs. These batch files are required for use with [[realtimesync]].
