Links substantially identical, duplicate files to save file system space
Freedup eliminates duplicate files by linking them, and thus reduces the amount
of used disk space within one or more file systems. By default, hardlinks are
used on a single device, symbolic links when the devices differ. A set of
options allows you to modify the methods of file comparison, the hash functions,
the linking behavior, and the reporting style. You may use batch or interactive
mode. Freedup usually only considers identical files, but when comparing audio
or graphics files, you may elect to ignore the tags. Multimedia files often are
a good target for deduplication.
Paths come from the repository package-file index for the observed builds. They describe archive/package associations, not every file that will exist on a running system after maintainer scripts, alternatives, generated state, diversions, or installation choices.
Each row is recorded package-index metadata for one version, architecture, suite, and repository. Names, URLs, and sizes are source-reported; a link is a potentially mutable retrieval location, not an OpenFactory redistribution claim or proof that OpenFactory retained the artifact bytes.
