cp command

cp - Copy files and directories

Changes the shell working directory.

Usage: cp [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST

Copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.

• OPTION: Flags which enhances the cp abilities.
• SOURCE: The file or directory you want to copy.
• DEST: The location where you want to copy.

Examples

• Copying a single file

  $ cp document.txt /home/user/docs/
  • This copies document.txt from the current directory to /home/user/docs/
  • If the destination is a directory, the file keeps its original name.

  Overwriting Warning:

  If a file with the same name exists at the destination, cp will overwrite it without asking. To avoid this, use the -i (interactive) option which will prompt to confirm before overwriting.

  $ cp -i document.txt /home/user/docs/

• Copying multiple files

  You can copy multiple files to a directory by listing them before the destination.

  $ cp file1.txt file2.txt /home/user/backup/
  • Copies both file1.txt and file2.txt to /home/user/backup/.

• Copying directories

  To copy a directory and its contents, we need to use the -r (recursive) option.

  $ cp -r /home/user/projects /home/user/backup/
  • Copies the projects directory and everything inside it to /home/user/backup/.
  • Without -r, cp will skip directories and show an error.

• Preserving file attributes while copy

  To keep file properties like timestamps, permissions, and ownership, use the -p (preserve) option.

  $ cp -p important.pdf /home/user/archive/
  • Copying like the above retains the original file’s metadata.

• Verbose output

  Want to see what’s happening while the cp operation is running? Use -v (verbose) to display each action.

  $ cp -v file1.txt folder1
  'file1.txt' -> 'folder1/file1.txt'

• Combining options

  We can mix options for more control while executing the commands.

  $ cp -rv folder1 frontend/
  'folder1' -> 'frontend/'
  'folder1/file1.txt' -> 'frontend/file1.txt'
  'folder1/docs' -> 'frontend/docs'
  'folder1/docs/node' -> 'frontend/docs/node'
  • Copies the old_project directory recursively -r and shows each step -v.

• Using Wildcards

  Copy multiple files matching a pattern with wildcards *.

  $ cp *.txt /home/user/text_files/
  • Copies all .txt files in the current directory to /home/user/text_files/.

To get help related to the cp command use --help option

$ cp --help
Usage: cp [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
  or:  cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
  or:  cp [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
Copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.
  -a, --archive                same as -dR --preserve=all
      --attributes-only        don't copy the file data, just the attributes
      --backup[=CONTROL]       make a backup of each existing destination file
  -b                           like --backup but does not accept an argument
      --copy-contents          copy contents of special files when recursive
  -d                           same as --no-dereference --preserve=links
  -f, --force                  if an existing destination file cannot be
                                 opened, remove it and try again (this option
                                 is ignored when the -n option is also used)
  -i, --interactive            prompt before overwrite (overrides a previous -n
                                  option)
  -H                           follow command-line symbolic links in SOURCE
  -l, --link                   hard link files instead of copying
  -L, --dereference            always follow symbolic links in SOURCE
  -n, --no-clobber             do not overwrite an existing file (overrides
                                 a previous -i option)
  -P, --no-dereference         never follow symbolic links in SOURCE
  -p                           same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps
      --preserve[=ATTR_LIST]   preserve the specified attributes (default:
                                 mode,ownership,timestamps), if possible
                                 additional attributes: context, links, xattr,
                                 all
      --no-preserve=ATTR_LIST  don't preserve the specified attributes
      --parents                use full source file name under DIRECTORY
  -R, -r, --recursive          copy directories recursively
      --reflink[=WHEN]         control clone/CoW copies. See below
      --remove-destination     remove each existing destination file before
                                 attempting to open it (contrast with --force)
      --sparse=WHEN            control creation of sparse files. See below
      --strip-trailing-slashes  remove any trailing slashes from each SOURCE
                                 argument
  -s, --symbolic-link          make symbolic links instead of copying
  -S, --suffix=SUFFIX          override the usual backup suffix
  -t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY  copy all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY
  -T, --no-target-directory    treat DEST as a normal file
  -u, --update                 copy only when the SOURCE file is newer
                                 than the destination file or when the
                                 destination file is missing
  -v, --verbose                explain what is being done
  -x, --one-file-system        stay on this file system
  -Z                           set SELinux security context of destination
                                 file to default type
      --context[=CTX]          like -Z, or if CTX is specified then set the
                                 SELinux or SMACK security context to CTX
      --help     display this help and exit
      --version  output version information and exit

By default, sparse SOURCE files are detected by a crude heuristic and the
corresponding DEST file is made sparse as well.  That is the behavior
selected by --sparse=auto.  Specify --sparse=always to create a sparse DEST
file whenever the SOURCE file contains a long enough sequence of zero bytes.
Use --sparse=never to inhibit creation of sparse files.

When --reflink[=always] is specified, perform a lightweight copy, where the
data blocks are copied only when modified.  If this is not possible the copy
fails, or if --reflink=auto is specified, fall back to a standard copy.
Use --reflink=never to ensure a standard copy is performed.

The backup suffix is '~', unless set with --suffix or SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX.
The version control method may be selected via the --backup option or through
the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable.  Here are the values:

  none, off       never make backups (even if --backup is given)
  numbered, t     make numbered backups
  existing, nil   numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
  simple, never   always make simple backups

As a special case, cp makes a backup of SOURCE when the force and backup
options are given and SOURCE and DEST are the same name for an existing,
regular file.