Ignore/exclude files
You can pass --exclude path_or_pattern to restic commands to exclude matching paths in the source directory from the backup.
For scheduled backups (or just as a general practice), you can create “ignore files” that you can pass like restic src/ --exclude-file ~/.restic/ignores/ignore_filename. You can also pass multiple --exclude-filename ... and --exclude ... flags.
You can split your ignore files, i.e. by programming language or purpose. Below are some purpose-specific Restic ignore files.
Default/base ignores
## Ignore caches
*.cache
.cache/
## Ignore temporary files
*.tmp
*.temp
*.bak
## Ignore specific user directories
Downloads/
## Ignore MacOS and Linux system files
.DS_Store
*.swp
## Ignore logs and temporary files
*.log
*.tmp
*.swp
## -----------------------------------
## Don't ignore the restic ignore file
!.resticignorePython ignores
## Ignore Python bytecode files
__pycache__/
*.py[cod]
*$py.class
## Distribution / packaging
.Python
build/
develop-eggs/
dist/
site/
downloads/
eggs/
.eggs/
lib64/
parts/
sdist/
wheels/
share/python-wheels/
*.egg-info/
.installed.cfg
*.egg
MANIFEST
## Ruff cache
.ruff_cache
## Nox cache
.nox
## Ignore virtual environment directories
venv/
env/
.env/
## Ignore distribution/build directories
build/
dist/
*.egg-info/
## Ignore logs and temporary files
*.log
*.tmp
*.swp
## Ignore caches
.cache/
.pytest_cache/
## Ignore IDE/editor files
.vscode/
.idea/
## -----------------------------------
## Don't ignore the restic ignore file
!.resticignoreGo ignores
## Ignore Go build binaries
*.exe
*.exe~
*.test
## Ignore build output directories
bin/
build/
## -----------------------------------
## Don't ignore the restic ignore file
!.resticignoreWindows ignores
## Exclude Windows system and special folders
C:\$RECYCLE.BIN
C:\swapfile.sys
C:\hiberfil.sys
C:\pagefile.sys
C:\Program Files\Common Files\BitDefender
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER
C:\Windows\debug
C:\System Volume Information
## Temp and cache folders
\temp
\tmp
\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp\
\Users\*\AppData\Local\Package Cache
\Users\*\AppData\Roaming\*\cache\
\Users\*\Local\Temp
\Users\*\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache
## User-specific exclusion patterns
\Users\*\appdata\index.dat
## Generic cache and temp files
.cache
cache
cache2
*~
__pycache__
*.pycMy default excludes file
*~
## Exclude Windows system and special folders
C:\$RECYCLE.BIN
C:\swapfile.sys
C:\hiberfil.sys
C:\pagefile.sys
C:\Program Files\Common Files\BitDefender
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER
C:\Windows\debug
C:\System Volume Information
## Temp and cache folders
\temp
\tmp
\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp\
\Users\*\AppData\Local\Package Cache
\Users\*\AppData\Roaming\*\cache\
\Users\*\Local\Temp
\Users\*\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache
## User-specific exclusion patterns
\Users\*\appdata\index.dat
## Ignore caches
*.cache
.cache/
## Ignore temporary files
*.tmp
*.temp
## Ignore specific user directories
Downloads/
## Ignore log files
*.log
## Ignore MacOS and Linux system files
.DS_Store
*.swp
## Ignore Go build binaries
*.exe
*.exe~
*.test
## Ignore shared libraries
*.dll
*.so
*.dylib
## Ignore coverage and output files
*.out
## Ignore vendor directory (if used)
vendor/
## Ignore build output directories
bin/
build/
## Ignore Python bytecode files
__pycache__/
*.py[cod]
*$py.class
# Distribution / packaging
.Python
build/
develop-eggs/
dist/
site/
downloads/
eggs/
.eggs/
lib64/
parts/
sdist/
wheels/
share/python-wheels/
*.egg-info/
.installed.cfg
*.egg
MANIFEST
## Ignore virtual environment directories
venv/
env/
.env/
## Ignore distribution/build directories
build/
dist/
*.egg-info/
## Ignore logs and temporary files
*.log
*.tmp
*.swp
## Ignore caches
.cache/
.pytest_cache/
## Ignore IDE/editor files
.vscode/
.idea/
## -----------------------------------
## Don't ignore the restic ignore file
!.resticignore
## Don't ignore resticprofile profiles.yaml
!profiles.yamlLast updated on