unison
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Description:
File synchronization tool
Type: Formula  |  Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Productivity
Tags: sync file-sync backup cli
Install: brew install unison
About:
Unison is a robust file-synchronization tool that allows bidirectional updates between two replicas of a file set. Unlike simple mirroring tools, it detects conflicts where both replicas have been modified independently and prompts the user for resolution. It is resilient to failures, ensuring that the file system state remains consistent even if the process is interrupted.
Key Features:
  • Bidirectional file synchronization
  • Conflict detection and resolution
  • Resilient to crashes and interruptions
  • Cross-platform support (Unix, macOS, Windows)
Use Cases:
  • Syncing work between a desktop and a laptop
  • Backing up files to an external drive or server
  • Maintaining identical codebases across multiple development machines
Alternatives:
  • rsync – Unison performs bidirectional sync and handles conflicts, whereas rsync is primarily one-way mirroring.
  • Syncthing – Syncthing is continuous and decentralized, while Unison is typically run manually or via cron and relies on SSH.
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Sep 11, 2025 11:33pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 3dfa47a5