git-annex/ preferred content/ standard groups

git-annex comes with some built-in preferred content settings, that can be used with repositories that are in special groups. To make a repository use one of these, just set its preferred content expression to "standard", and put it in one of these groups. For example, to put the current repository in the manual group and use this group to control the preferred content, run

    git annex wanted . standard
    git annex group . manual

In the webapp, just edit the repository and select the group.

(Note that most of these standard expressions also make the repository want to get any content that is only currently available on untrusted and dead repositories. So if an untrusted repository gets connected, any repository that can will back it up.)

The following standard groups are available:

### client

All content in the current working tree is wanted, unless it's for a file in a "archive" directory, which has reached an archive repository.

`(include=* and ((exclude=*/archive/* and exclude=archive/*) or (not (copies=archive:1 or copies=smallarchive:1)))) or approxlackingcopies=1`

### transfer

Use for repositories that are used to transfer data between other repositories, but do not need to retain data themselves. For example, a repository on a server, or in the cloud, or a small USB drive used in a sneakernet.

The preferred content expression for these causes them to get and retain data until all clients have a copy.

`not (inallgroup=client and copies=client:2) and ($client)`

(Where $client is a copy of the preferred content expression used for clients.)

The "copies=client:2" part of the above handles the case where there is only one client repository. It makes a transfer repository speculatively prefer content in this case, even though it as of yet has nowhere to transfer it to. Presumably, another client repository will be added later.

### backup

All content is wanted. Even content of old/deleted files.

`anything`

(Note that most git-annex commands operate on files present in the working tree by default, and using this does not change that. The assistant does operate on deleted files, and other commands can be made to do so with the --all option.)

### incrementalbackup

Only wants content that's not already backed up to another backup or incremental backup repository.

`((not copies=backup:1) and (not copies=incrementalbackup:1)) or approxlackingcopies=1`

### smallarchive

Only wants content that's located in an "archive" directory, and only if it's not already been archived somewhere else.

`((include=*/archive/* or include=archive/*) and not (copies=archive:1 or copies=smallarchive:1)) or approxlackingcopies=1`

### archive

All content is wanted, unless it's already been archived somewhere else.

`(not (copies=archive:1 or copies=smallarchive:1)) or approxlackingcopies=1`

Note that if you want to archive multiple copies (not a bad idea!), you can set `git-annex groupwanted archive` to a version of the above preferred content expression with a larger number of copies than 1. Then make the archive repositories have a preferred content expression of "groupwanted" in order to use your modified version.

### source

Use for repositories where files are often added, but that do not need to retain files for local use. For example, a repository on a camera, where it's desirable to remove photos as soon as they're transferred elsewhere.

The preferred content expression for these causes them to only retain data until a copy has been sent to some other repository.

`not (copies=1)`

### manual

This gives you nearly full manual control over what content is stored in the repository. This allows using the assistant without it trying to keep a local copy of every file. Instead, you can manually run `git annex get`, `git annex drop`, etc to manage content. Only content that is already present is wanted.

The exception to this manual control is that content that a client repository would not want is not wanted. So, files in archive directories are not wanted once their content has reached an archive repository.

`present and ($client)`

(Where $client is a copy of the preferred content expression used for clients.)

### public

This is used for publishing information to a repository that can be publically accessed. Only files in a directory with a particular name will be published. (The directory can be located anywhere in the repository.)

`inpreferreddir`

The name of the directory can be configured using `git annex enableremote $remote preferreddir=$dirname`

### unwanted

Use for repositories that you don't want to exist. This will result in any content on them being moved away to other repositories. (Works best when the unwanted repository is also marked as untrusted or dead.)

`not anything`

Re: Repo with multiple groups with wanted/required set to standard

standard only works if the repository is in exactly one group.

Combining standard preferred content expressions for several groups with OR/AND does not always make sense, and which way does make sense probably varies.

Comment by joey — Tue Jul 22 18:11:47 2025
Repo with multiple groups with wanted/required set to standard
What should happen if I `git annex require here standard` and then `git annex group here client; git annex group here transfer`? Does it take the expressions from both groups and connects them with or?
Comment by j2.00ghz — Tue Jul 22 18:11:47 2025
re: How do I mark a specialremote (box.com) as being in the transfer group (cli)

Up at the top of this page there's an example to change the group of the local repository and to make it use the standard preferred content settings for the group:

    git annex wanted . standard
    git annex group . manual

The same commands can be used to configure a remote. Just put the name of the remote instead of the "." that is used the refer to the current directory's repository.

    git annex wanted myremote standard
    git annex group myremote transfer

Comment by joey — Tue Jul 22 18:11:47 2025
comment 5

@Áron, there is not a way to do that, unless you move the "old" files to a different directory, or something like that.

Comment by joey — Tue Jul 22 18:11:47 2025
How do I mark a specialremote (box.com) as being in the transfer group (cli)
I've got thing set up (2 client, with box.com as a special remote)... client one uploads it's content, but client 2 does not download anything. I'd like to have box.com set up as as a trandfer repo, which will loos it's content when client 2 got the files.
Comment by dittigas — Tue Jul 22 18:11:47 2025
"new files" group

In my mobile devices I would like to automatically have the newest files, because those have the biggest chance that I want to watch/read them on mobile. But I have found any preferred content expression that is about the age of a file. Is it possible to do something like this with the existing git-annex capabilities? thanks

Comment by https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawnbBRfl5F8gKRr1ko8Ai6FbEZStXXNF1S4 — Tue Jul 22 18:11:47 2025
comment 2
@Mildred, I think both preferred content expressions will do the same thing. There is, however a difference between the groups: The webapp notices when all files have gone from an unwanted repository, and will help the user finish deleting the repository.
Comment by http://joeyh.name/ — Tue Jul 22 18:11:47 2025
difference between source and unwanted

What's the difference between `source` and `unwanted` ?

- `source` (`not copies=1`) will keep files that have less than 1 copies, meaning zero copies, meaning no files.
- `unwanted` will exclude all files.

Both gets to the same results, all files are moved elsewhere. Right?

Comment by http://mildred.fr/ — Tue Jul 22 18:11:47 2025
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