Yes, RSYNC, a data copying tool commonly used in Unix-based systems such as Linux, can handle files with long names. The length of the filename that RSYNC can handle depends on the filesystem of the source and the destination rather than RSYNC itself. Most modern Unix-based file systems support filenames of up to 255 characters. For other file systems such as Windows, RSYNC can also handle long file names, though there might be restrictions due to the destination file system rather than the tool itself.
RSYNC, which stands for “remote synchronization,” is an open-source data synchronization tool that can replicate and synchronize files and directories locally and between different hosts over the network. It uses a reliable and fast synchronization algorithm that reduces the amount of data being transferred by sending only the differences between the source files and the existing files at the destination. This fact makes it particularly useful for maintaining backups and replicating data across multiple systems (Peek, J., Marshall, G., & Hartman, B. (2002). Learning Unix for Mac OS X. O’Reilly Media, Inc.).
Now when it comes to filename length, according to the POSIX standard, which defines how Unix and Unix-like systems work, the maximum length for a filename is defined as 255 characters. This limit refers to the base file name, which excludes the file path under which it might be located within the file system. Here’s the reference to POSIX standard for more detailed information:
(http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/basedefs/V1_chap03.html#tag_03\_278)
Moreover, RSYNC doesn’t fundamentally have any restrictions on file name lengths. Any limitations arise from the file systems that hold the file. For instance, in most Linux distributions, the EXT4 file system, which is most commonly used, has a maximum file name length of 255 bytes (characters). NTFS on Windows, on the other hand, allows filenames up to 255 characters as well, but the total path length must not exceed 260 characters (Microsoft, 2016).
However, if you’re working across different file systems, such as syncing files from a Linux system to a Windows system via network, it becomes a little more complicated due to differences in how different file systems define and handle long file names. In such cases, sometimes you may need to handle certain edge cases manually or build logic into scripts that call RSYNC to manage long names efficiently.
To sum up, RSYNC itself can handle file names of significant length, but you must still be aware of the limitations imposed by the file systems you’re working across.
Sources:
http://linuxcommand.org/lc3_man_pages/rsync1.html
https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/basedefs/V1_chap03.html#tag_03\_278
https://www.tecmint.com/rsync-local-remote-file-synchronization-commands/
