When I tested it, newer versions of files in the destination folder are, in fact, overwritten by older versions in the source folder. The resulting files, links, and devices will have the same mode, access time, modification time, owner, and group as the source items from which they are copied. Actually, the man page does describe how ditto merges, and it contradicts the article:ĭitto overwrites existing files, symbolic links, and devices in the destination when these are copied from a source.
