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I have a multi-GB directory tree of documents that I need to keep synchronized between a macOS and a Linux host. I'm thinking of using xattr on Mac OS to remove extended attributes on every single file.

In general, all files are OS-independent document files (text, PDF, images, etc.), but there may be files created by Mac-only applications such as Keynote. What would be the risk in removing the extended attributes from even those files?

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    Why do you want to remove them at all, does Linux even care?
    – nohillside ♦
    Commented Oct 12, 2023 at 8:39
  • I may be copying these files in either direction and don't want their state to depend on which direction. I want to guarantee that two files containing the same data will always be considered the same by all comparison utilities. Also, I don't want to include the extended attributes in the already large archive file.
    – Keith Bennett
    Commented Oct 12, 2023 at 13:10
  • I would be surprised if diff utilities check for extended attributes at all. Which file system do you use to make sure the disk can be accessed from both macOS and Linux?
    – nohillside ♦
    Commented Oct 12, 2023 at 15:01
  • I currently use rsync over ssh to selectively copy from one host to another, but may research other options.
    – Keith Bennett
    Commented Oct 12, 2023 at 16:57
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    rsync doesn’t copy extended attributes by default so you should be fine anyway. macOS works fine with and without extended attributes.
    – nohillside ♦
    Commented Oct 12, 2023 at 18:42

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