cp - copy files and directories
cp [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
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.
Written by Torbjorn Granlund, David MacKenzie, and Jim
Meyering.
GNU coreutils online help:
<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
Report cp translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>
Copyright © 2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License
GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later
<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO
WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
Full documentation at:
<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/cp>
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) cp invocation'