Kevat
Kevat is a robust utility for copying and moving large folders to external drives, offering resilient transfers that automatically resume from the last proven checkpoint.
Kevat is a specialized data transfer utility designed to copy and move large volumes of data to external storage media. Developed by Prateek Singh, the tool is engineered to handle large folders or single large files with high reliability, specifically addressing common limitations found in native file managers such as poor performance with large queues, lack of multi-threading, and catastrophic failures during interruptions. The application operates as a single native binary, prioritizing simplicity and efficiency while ensuring that all data transfers are durable and recoverable. By maintaining a local journal, Kevat tracks the progress of file transfers, allowing it to resume exactly where it left off in the event of an unplanned disconnection or system crash.
Functionality centers on providing a resilient copy and move mechanism that ensures data integrity through proactive verification. Kevat utilizes xxh3 hashing to validate files as they are read and written. During a move operation, the original data is only deleted after the copy has been verified as successful and the status is recorded as durable on the host system. The tool implements a buffered approach with distinct reader and writer threads, creating a queue that optimizes data throughput for various storage media types while maintaining a stable memory footprint.
Some of the key features are:
- Resume Support: Automatically tracks transfer progress via a local journal, enabling seamless continuation after sudden unplugs or interruptions.
- Data Integrity Verification: Uses xxh3 hashing to compare source and destination files to ensure byte-for-byte consistency.
- Dual Interface: Functions as both a graphical windowed application for drag-and-drop operations and a command-line tool for scripting and server environments.
- Zero Telemetry: Contains no network code, update checkers, or telemetry tracking, ensuring complete privacy.
- Efficient Buffering: Employs a bounded channel system to handle large file transfers without overwhelming system memory.
- Safety Checks: Prevents operations that might cause data loss, such as moving folders to their own subdirectories or conflicting paths.
Operationally, Kevat functions by recording the state of transfers in a configuration directory local to the source machine rather than on the destination drive. When a transfer is interrupted, the software re-hashes the partial file against the existing data on the drive to verify its validity before continuing the process. The tool is available as a single executable for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with specific builds for GUI-based desktop environments and a lightweight, statically linked CLI version for headless servers and containerized environments. No specific runtime, service, or complex installation process is required, as the utility is designed for immediate portability.
Some common use cases include:
- Large External Backups: Moving massive collections of photos or video projects to external hard drives with the peace of mind that a cable snag will not force a restart.
- Data Migration: Migrating large datasets between local disks or server storage while ensuring complete integrity of every transferred file.
- Scripted Server Transfers: Automating data movement on headless Linux servers or within containerized environments using the lightweight static CLI build.
- High-Stakes File Moves: Securely moving sensitive or large files where the user requires explicit verification of source and destination equality before deleting the source.