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I know it is possible to exclude a particular folder by a command like this:

tar --exclude='/srv/www/project/node_modules' -zcvf /backup/project.tgz .

My question how to exclude any folder named node_modules anywhere within the entire /srv/www directory, to exclude it and exclude all folders under it?

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  • If what you mean is you want to exclude all directories that start with node_modules in their names like node_modules123 and node_modules_new etc. then append a * to the excluded directory name and use the command like so tar -zcvf /backup/project.tar.gz --exclude "/srv/www/project/node_modules*" /srv/www/ and please edit your question and make it clear. Thank you
    – Raffa
    Oct 26, 2019 at 19:33
  • @Raffa, I have just re-edited my question and made it clearer.
    – W.M.
    Oct 26, 2019 at 19:40
  • This isn't an answer but an FYI. When using the --exclude option, the syntax of the filename must match the path being tared. In your example, the exclude option should be --exclude=./srv/www/project/node_modules in order for the match to occur and the directory to be excluded
    – PatS
    Sep 28, 2022 at 18:31

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To exclude the directory named node_modules wherever it is located under /srv/www/ even if there are multiple copies of it under different sub-directories, just do not specify a path in the --exclude part and use it like this:

tar -zcvf /backup/project.tar.gz --exclude "node_modules" /srv/www/

This will exclude all directories and files named exactly node_modules and all sub-directories and files under them anywhere in /srv/www/.

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