Linux / Unix rsync: Delete Source File After Transfer

I would like to move all desktop:~/Downloads/*.avi files from my desktop to laptop:~/Download/ using rsync. How do I delete source file after successful transfer is done using rsync command under BSD/Unix/Linux/Apple OS X operating systems?

Tutorial details
Difficulty	Easy (rss)
Root privileges	No
Requirements	rsync

You need to pass the --remove-source-files option to the rsync command. It tells rsync to remove from the sending side the files (meaning non-directories) that are a part of the transfer and have been successfully duplicated on the receiving side. Do not pass the --delete option to rsync command as it delete extraneous files from destination directory.

Delete source after successful transfer using rsync

The syntax is:

 
rsync --remove-source-files -options /path/to/src/ /path/to/dest
rsync --remove-source-files -options /path/to/src/ computerB:/path/to/dest
rsync --remove-source-files -av /path/to/src/*.avi computerB:/path/to/dest

You can always perform a trial run with no changes made using --dry-run option:

 
rsync --dry-run --remove-source-files -azv /path/to/Download/*.avi laptop:~/Download

If you like output run the final command without --dry-run option:

 
rsync --remove-source-files -azv /path/to/Download/*.avi laptop:~/Download

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Linux / Unix rsync: Delete Source File After Transfer

Delete source after successful transfer using rsync

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