What does the 'rsync' command do?

The 'rsync' command is a powerful utility primarily used for synchronizing files and directories between different locations, which can be on the same machine or across a network. Its main feature is the capability to efficiently transfer and synchronize files by transferring only the differences between the source and the destination. This means that if the source file changes, 'rsync' can update only that part of the file rather than copying the entire file again, making it very fast and efficient, especially for large data sets.

Beyond just file synchronization, 'rsync' also provides options for preserving permissions, timestamps, and other attributes, as well as enabling compression during transfer to save bandwidth. It is widely utilized for backup purposes, mirroring applications, and deploying files on remote systems, showcasing its versatility and effectiveness in managing files across systems.

The other options do not accurately describe the functionality of 'rsync', as it does not create directories, list files, or remove files from the current directory. Each of these actions requires a different specific command in Linux.