To use scp to copy a directory but exclude a specific subdirectory in Debian 12, you can achieve this by combining tar with SSH. The scp command itself does not directly support excluding files or directories, but you can use the following approach as a workaround:

Command:

tar --exclude='dir_father/dir_child1' -cf - dir_father | ssh user@remote_host 'cd /destination/path && tar -xf -'

Explanation:

1. tar on the local machine:

   • --exclude='dir_father/dir_child1': Skips the dir_child1 directory during the tar process.
   • -cf - dir_father: Creates a tar archive of dir_father but writes it to standard output (-).

2. ssh:

   • Connects to the remote host.

3. tar on the remote machine:

   • cd /destination/path: Ensures the extracted files are placed in the correct destination.
   • tar -xf -: Reads the tar archive from standard input and extracts it.

Replace the following placeholders with actual values:

• user: Your username on the remote host.
• remote_host: The hostname or IP of the remote machine.
• /destination/path: The desired destination directory on the remote machine.

Notes:

• Ensure you have the necessary permissions on both the local and remote directories.
• If your dir_child1 contains sensitive data or large files, double-check the exclusion path to avoid accidental transfer.

Let me know if you need further clarification!