Mutagen Cheatsheet: Quick Reference for File Synchronization

Essential Commands and Tips for Efficient Syncing

A quick reference cheatsheet for Mutagen commands, including installation, sync session management, advanced options, and troubleshooting tips.

Tools
Author
Affiliation

Alboukadel Kassambara

Datanovia

Published

March 9, 2025

Modified

March 11, 2025

Keywords

Mutagen cheatsheet, quick reference, file synchronization, mutagen commands, install Mutagen

Introduction

This cheatsheet provides a concise overview of common Mutagen commands, flags, and workflows to help you efficiently manage file synchronization in your development environment.



Basic Commands

Installation

  • Command (macOS using Homebrew):

    brew install mutagen-io/mutagen/mutagen

  • Description:
    Installs Mutagen on macOS via Homebrew. For other platforms, refer to the respective installation instructions in our tutorials.

Check Installation and Version

  • Command:

    mutagen version

  • Description:
    Displays the currently installed Mutagen version to verify that the installation was successful.

Sync Session Management

Create a Sync Session

  • Command Example:

    mutagen sync create --name my-sync-session --ignore "node_modules/**" /path/to/local docker://container-name/path/in/container

  • Key Options:

    • --name: Assigns a unique identifier to the sync session.
    • --ignore: Excludes files or directories (useful for ignoring unnecessary files).
    • Endpoints:
      Specify the local source and target container path (use the docker:// prefix for container endpoints).

List Active Sync Sessions

  • Command:

    mutagen sync list

  • Description:
    Lists all active sync sessions and their statuses. Use this to monitor your ongoing sessions.

Pause a Sync Session

  • Command:

    mutagen sync pause my-sync-session

  • Description:
    Temporarily suspends synchronization for the specified session, useful during maintenance.

Resume a Sync Session

  • Command:

    mutagen sync resume my-sync-session

  • Description:
    Restarts a previously paused sync session.

Terminate a Sync Session

  • Command:

    mutagen sync terminate my-sync-session

  • Description:
    Stops and removes the specified sync session, allowing you to start a new session if needed.

Advanced Options and Configuration

Sync Modes Overview

  • two-way-resolved mode (Default): Synchronizes changes in both directions, ideal for collaborative workflows.
  • one-way-safe mode: Propagates changes only from the source to the destination, protecting source data.
  • one-way-replica mode: Mirrors the source exactly at the destination, useful for backups and deployment.

Additional Flags

  • Specifying Sync Mode:

    --mode two-way-resolved

  • Multiple Ignore Patterns:

    mutagen sync create --name my-sync --ignore "node_modules/**" --ignore "*.log" /local/path docker://container/path

  • Daemon Management:

    mutagen daemon start

    Ensure the Mutagen daemon is running to manage synchronization tasks.

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Duplicate Session Error:
    If a session with the same name already exists, check with:

    mutagen sync list

    and terminate the duplicate session:

    mutagen sync terminate <session-name>

  • Command Not Recognized:
    If the mutagen command isn’t found, ensure the installation directory is in your system’s PATH.

  • Log Checks:
    Enable detailed logging (refer to our Installation and Configuring Mutagen tutorial for more info) for troubleshooting issues.

Further Reading

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Citation

BibTeX citation:
@online{kassambara2025,
  author = {Kassambara, Alboukadel},
  title = {Mutagen {Cheatsheet:} {Quick} {Reference} for {File}
    {Synchronization}},
  date = {2025-03-09},
  url = {https://www.datanovia.com/learn/tools/mutagen/cheatsheet.html},
  langid = {en}
}
For attribution, please cite this work as:
Kassambara, Alboukadel. 2025. “Mutagen Cheatsheet: Quick Reference for File Synchronization.” March 9, 2025. https://www.datanovia.com/learn/tools/mutagen/cheatsheet.html.