Table of Contents

Name

cp - copy files and directories

Synopsis

cp [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
cp [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...

Description

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 -dpR

--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=link

-f, --force
if an existing destination file cannot be opened, remove it and try again

-i, --interactive
prompt before overwrite

-H
follow command-line symbolic links

-l, --link
link files instead of copying

-L, --dereference
always follow symbolic links

-P, --no-dereference
never follow symbolic links

-p
same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps

--preserve[=ATTR_LIST]
preserve the specified attributes (default: mode,ownership,timestamps) and security contexts, if possible additional attributes: links, 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

--remove-destination
remove each existing destination file before attempting to open it (contrast with --force)

--sparse=WHEN
control creation of sparse files

--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

--help display this help and exit

-Z, --context=CONTEXT
set security context of copy to CONTEXT

--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.

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.

Author

Written by Torbjorn Granlund, David MacKenzie, and Jim Meyering.

Reporting Bugs

Report bugs to <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.

Copyright

Copyright (C) 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of the GNU General Public License <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

See Also

The full documentation for cp is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and cp programs are properly installed at your site, the command

info cp

should give you access to the complete manual.

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