---
title: "Union"
description: "Remote Unification"
date: "2018-08-29"
---

<i class="fa fa-link"></i> Union
-----------------------------------------

The `union` remote provides a unification similar to UnionFS using other remotes.

Paths may be as deep as required or a local path, 
eg `remote:directory/subdirectory` or `/directory/subdirectory`.

During the initial setup with `rclone config` you will specify the target
remotes as a space separated list. The target remotes can either be a local paths or other remotes.

The order of the remotes is important as it defines which remotes take precedence over others if there are files with the same name in the same logical path.
The last remote is the topmost remote and replaces files with the same name from previous remotes.

Only the last remote is used to write to and delete from, all other remotes are read-only.

Subfolders can be used in target remote. Assume a union remote named `backup`
with the remotes `mydrive:private/backup mydrive2:/backup`. Invoking `rclone mkdir backup:desktop`
is exactly the same as invoking `rclone mkdir mydrive2:/backup/desktop`.

There will be no special handling of paths containing `..` segments.
Invoking `rclone mkdir backup:../desktop` is exactly the same as invoking
`rclone mkdir mydrive2:/backup/../desktop`.

Here is an example of how to make a union called `remote` for local folders.
First run:

     rclone config

This will guide you through an interactive setup process:

```
No remotes found - make a new one
n) New remote
s) Set configuration password
q) Quit config
n/s/q> n
name> remote
Type of storage to configure.
Choose a number from below, or type in your own value
[snip]
XX / Union merges the contents of several remotes
   \ "union"
[snip]
Storage> union
List of space separated remotes.
Can be 'remotea:test/dir remoteb:', '"remotea:test/space dir" remoteb:', etc.
The last remote is used to write to.
Enter a string value. Press Enter for the default ("").
remotes>
Remote config
--------------------
[remote]
type = union
remotes = C:\dir1 C:\dir2 C:\dir3
--------------------
y) Yes this is OK
e) Edit this remote
d) Delete this remote
y/e/d> y
Current remotes:

Name                 Type
====                 ====
remote               union

e) Edit existing remote
n) New remote
d) Delete remote
r) Rename remote
c) Copy remote
s) Set configuration password
q) Quit config
e/n/d/r/c/s/q> q
```

Once configured you can then use `rclone` like this,

List directories in top level in `C:\dir1`, `C:\dir2` and `C:\dir3`

    rclone lsd remote:

List all the files in `C:\dir1`, `C:\dir2` and `C:\dir3`

    rclone ls remote:

Copy another local directory to the union directory called source, which will be placed into `C:\dir3`

    rclone copy C:\source remote:source

<!--- autogenerated options start - DO NOT EDIT, instead edit fs.RegInfo in backend/union/union.go then run make backenddocs -->
### Standard Options

Here are the standard options specific to union (Union merges the contents of several remotes).

#### --union-remotes

List of space separated remotes.
Can be 'remotea:test/dir remoteb:', '"remotea:test/space dir" remoteb:', etc.
The last remote is used to write to.

- Config:      remotes
- Env Var:     RCLONE_UNION_REMOTES
- Type:        string
- Default:     ""

<!--- autogenerated options stop -->