rsync Not Found

rsync Not Found

rsync: not found
rsync: command not found
exec: "rsync": executable file not found in $PATH

The container running the mirror doesn't have rsync.

The hint wip prints

`wip sync` needs rsync inside the image.

Install it in your Dockerfile:

  RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y rsync

Or point sync.command at a tool the image already has.

Which image is missing it?

This is the part that trips people up: the answer depends on sync.mode and on which step failed.

Step	Container	Image that needs rsync
wip up's pre-boot mirror	throwaway (always)	sync.build's tag → sync.image → the primary entry's image
wip sync / --watch, mode: exec	the running primary container	the primary container's image
wip sync / --watch, mode: run	throwaway	sync.build's tag → sync.image → the primary entry's image

So under the default sync.mode: exec with no sync.image/sync.build, your app image needs rsync for both paths — the pre-boot mirror falls back to it too.

wip doctor warns about the half-configured case:

[WARN] sync.image/sync.build only cover `wip up`'s one-time pre-boot mirror … sync.mode: exec's
`wip sync`/`wip sync --watch` run rsync inside the primary container instead, so its image
needs rsync too

Full explanation: Sync Modes.

Fix 1: install rsync in the app image

# Debian/Ubuntu
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y rsync && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

# Alpine
RUN apk add --no-cache rsync

wip build
wip down && wip up -d

Simplest option, and it keeps sync.mode: exec — the fastest mode, since there's no container start per mirror.

Fix 2: a dedicated mirror image

Keep your app image minimal and let wip build a tiny one just for rsync:

sync:
  mode: run
  build:
    dockerfile: |
      FROM alpine:latest
      RUN apk add --no-cache rsync

Built once per wip up / wip sync invocation (not per --watch tick), tagged wip-sync-<container>:latest unless you set build.tag.

Or point at an image you manage yourself:

sync:
  mode: run
  image: my-registry/rsync:latest

sync.build's tag wins if both are set — don't configure both.

Required under mode: compose, where there's no dependencies: entry to borrow an image from.

Fix 3: use a different tool

If your image already has something that can mirror a tree with compatible flags:

sync:
  command: /usr/local/bin/my-mirror

wip builds the invocation as:

<command> -r -l -t --whole-file [--delete] [--exclude=… …] [options…] /host-src/ /app/

so your tool must accept those flags. In practice this means an rsync-compatible binary (rsync-from-busybox often is not — check before relying on it).

Verify

wip up -d
wip exec which rsync
wip sync

Related

• Sync Modes
• Source Sync
• wip sync