How to Exclude Files When Creating Tar Archive in Ubuntu

Creating backups on Ubuntu often requires leaving out temporary or sensitive data. This article demonstrates the standard methods for excluding specific files and directories when generating a tar archive. We cover command-line flags, wildcard patterns, and external exclude lists to streamline your backup process.

Using the –exclude Flag

The primary method involves adding the --exclude option followed by the path you wish to omit. You must specify this option before the files or directories you are archiving.

tar --exclude='/path/to/file.log' -czvf backup.tar.gz /path/to/source

Excluding Multiple Items

You can stack multiple --exclude flags to skip several files or folders in a single command.

tar --exclude='/path/to/cache' --exclude='/path/to/temp' -czvf backup.tar.gz /path/to/source

Using Wildcard Patterns

To exclude files based on extensions or naming patterns, use wildcards. Ensure the pattern matches the relative path structure.

tar --exclude='*.log' --exclude='*.tmp' -czvf backup.tar.gz /path/to/source

Using an Exclude File

For complex lists, create a text file containing one exclude pattern per line. Use the --exclude-from flag to reference this list.

Create a file named excludes.txt:

*.log
/path/to/secret

Run the tar command:

tar --exclude-from=excludes.txt -czvf backup.tar.gz /path/to/source

Verifying the Archive

After creation, list the contents of the archive to confirm the excluded files are absent.

tar -tzvf backup.tar.gz

This ensures your backup contains only the intended data without unnecessary bloat.