Software Alternatives & Startups

RoboCopy VS PuTTY

Compare RoboCopy VS PuTTY and see what are their differences

RoboCopy

Robocopy is a free file copy tool that is included with the Microsoft Windows operating system. It allows one to construct complicated instructions to move, or copy files.

Rating
0 reviews
PuTTY

Popular free terminal application. Mostly used as an SSH client.

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, RoboCopy seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 50 times since March 2021.

social mentions
50 vs 0
File Management popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
112 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

RoboCopy
PuTTY
Website docs.microsoft.com chiark.greenend.org.uk
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

RoboCopy 8 features
PuTTY 5 features
  • High Performance
    RoboCopy is designed for efficient and fast file copy operations, making it suitable for copying large volumes of data quickly.
  • Resumable Transfers
    It can resume file transfers after interruptions, reducing the need to restart the copy operation from scratch.
  • Advanced File Selection
    Supports complex file selection criteria, such as filtering by file size, attributes, and last modified date.
  • Mirroring Capabilities
    Can mirror entire directories, ensuring source and destination directories are kept in sync.
  • Logging and Reporting
    RoboCopy provides detailed logs and reports of copy operations, which is useful for auditing and troubleshooting.
  • Multi-threading
    Supports multi-threaded file copying, allowing parallel transfer of multiple files to improve performance.
  • Robust Error Handling
    Offers robust error handling and retry mechanisms, ensuring higher reliability in copy operations.
  • Access Control Compliance
    Preserves file and folder permissions (ACLs), ownership, and attributes, ensuring compliance with access control policies.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complex Syntax
    The command-line interface can be complex and intimidating for users who are not familiar with command-line operations.
  • No Native GUI
    RoboCopy does not include a graphical user interface (GUI), which may make it less accessible for some users.
  • Overhead for Small Files
    There can be considerable overhead when copying a large number of small files, which may reduce overall performance.
  • Limited Real-Time Monitoring
    Does not offer real-time monitoring or progress indicators in the way that some modern copying tools provide.
  • Potential Data Loss
    Incorrect usage of certain switches (e.g., /MIR) can result in unintended data loss, making it necessary to use caution.
  • Limited Support
    Being a native Windows tool, it primarily supports Windows environments and lacks the cross-platform capabilities of some alternatives.
  • Learning Curve
    It has a steep learning curve for advanced features, requiring users to invest time in understanding its full capabilities.
  • Free and Open Source
    PuTTY is free to use and its source code is openly available. This allows flexibility for users to modify it according to their needs and ensures that there are no licensing costs associated with its usage.
  • Wide Protocol Support
    PuTTY supports various network protocols including SSH, Telnet, SCP, and SFTP. This makes it versatile for different types of server management and data transfer tasks.
  • Lightweight
    PuTTY is a lightweight application that consumes minimal system resources, making it suitable for use on older or less powerful systems without significant performance degradation.
  • Extensible Configuration Options
    PuTTY offers a wide range of configuration options for terminal emulation, keyboard mappings, and connection settings, giving users fine control over their connections and workflow.
  • Portability
    PuTTY can be run as a portable application from USB drives or other external storage devices without the need for a formal installation process on the host system.

Possible disadvantages

  • No Integrated File Manager
    Unlike some other SSH clients, PuTTY does not come with an integrated file manager, which can make tasks involving file transfers less convenient without the use of PuTTY's separate utilities like PSCP or WinSCP.
  • Limited Scripting Capabilities
    PuTTY itself lacks advanced scripting capabilities which can be a limitation for users who need to automate sessions or workflows extensively. External tools or extensions are necessary for these needs.
  • Basic User Interface
    The user interface of PuTTY is quite basic compared to modern applications. It lacks some of the polished features and aesthetics that other terminal clients might offer.
  • No Tabbed Sessions
    PuTTY does not natively support multiple tabbed sessions within a single window, which can make managing multiple connections less convenient. Users typically need to open multiple instances of the application.
  • Windows-Centric
    While PuTTY is primarily developed for Windows, its cross-platform capabilities through ports like PuTTY for Mac or Linux are not as well-supported, leading to potential inconsistencies and lack of features compared to the Windows version.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

RoboCopy
PuTTY

Overall verdict

  • RoboCopy is generally considered a good and reliable tool for file copying and backup purposes, especially in professional and enterprise environments where data integrity and efficiency are critical. Its advanced capabilities make it a preferred choice for users who require more control over their file transfer processes.

Why this product is good

  • RoboCopy, which stands for Robust File Copy, is highly regarded due to its robustness and advanced features that extend beyond what the standard Windows copy command offers. It supports file mirroring, can resume failed copies, and recognizes NTFS attributes and properties, making it ideal for large data transfer tasks. Furthermore, RoboCopy can handle network interruptions effectively and offers extensive options for logging operations, making it suitable for administrators and power users who need to perform complex file transfer tasks with precision and reliability.

Recommended for

    RoboCopy is recommended for IT professionals, system administrators, and power users who need to perform complex file copy operations, including backing up data, file archiving, and synchronizing directories across different locations. It is particularly useful in environments where robust performance and detailed control over the copy process are necessary.

Overall verdict

  • Yes, PuTTY is generally regarded as a good choice for those needing an SSH client on Windows. Its robustness and long-standing reputation in the industry contribute positively to its assessment.

Why this product is good

  • PuTTY is a popular and widely used SSH client for Windows due to its light weight, ease of use, and reliability. It is open-source, supports various network protocols like SSH, Telnet, and Rlogin, and has been maintained and updated consistently over the years. The software's configurability and ability to store session configurations make it a versatile choice for both beginners and advanced users.

Recommended for

    PuTTY is recommended for system administrators, developers, network engineers, and anyone who needs to perform remote command-line operations on a computer or server using the SSH protocol. It is particularly useful for users who are working on Windows systems.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

RoboCopy 3 videos + Add
PuTTY 3 videos + Add

Robocopy Backup Tutorial for Windows

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Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
RoboCopy
PuTTY
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
SSH
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using RoboCopy and PuTTY. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

RoboCopy no reviews yet
PuTTY no reviews yet

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

RoboCopy 50 mentions
PuTTY 0 mentions
  • Is ultracopier still the very best in terms of open source alternative file copying/merging tool ?
    I used robocopy on a slow network to transfer many gigabyte of data; properly configured with retries and everything worked great. Don't know about your merge needs, so take a look into it and do some tests before actually running it. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Is copying the best way to transfer large amounts of files?
    If you're copying a ton of files that vary in size, using a command prompt robocopy with the multi-thread parameter can make it so you are copying multiple files simultaneously and max out the bandwidth of whatever connection you're... Source: about 4 years ago
  • Game data to new PC
    This would probably work well. Oblivion mod managers edit load order by modifying dates on the files, and I'm not sure if dragging-and-dropping would keep that info. Source: about 4 years ago

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Tracking PuTTY since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to RoboCopy and PuTTY

When comparing RoboCopy and PuTTY, you can also consider the following products.