bup-server(1) Bup 0.33.10+
Author: Avery Pennarun apenwarr@gmail.com
Date: 2026-01-28

# NAME

bup-server - the server side of the bup client-server relationship

# SYNOPSIS

bup server

# DESCRIPTION

`bup server` is the server side of a remote bup session. If you use `bup-split`(1) or `bup-save`(1) with the `-r` option, they will ssh to the remote server and run `bup server` to receive the transmitted objects.

There is normally no reason to run `bup server` yourself.

# MODES

smart
  In this mode, the server checks each incoming object against the idx files in its repository. If any object already exists, it tells the client about the idx file it was found in, allowing the client to download that idx and avoid sending duplicate data. This is `bup-server`’s default mode.
dumb
  In this mode, the server will not check its local index before writing an object. To avoid writing duplicate objects, the server will tell the client to download all of its `.idx` files at the start of the session. This mode is useful on low powered server hardware (ie router/slow NAS).

# FILES

$BUP_DIR/bup-dumb-server
  Activate dumb server mode, as discussed above. This file is not created by default in new repositories.

# SEE ALSO

`bup-save`(1), `bup-split`(1)

# BUP

Part of the `bup`(1) suite.