CP Command: How to copy files/folder in Linux?

[Shane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Shane]

Hello All,

In order to copy files and folders in Linux one need to execute €˜CP€™ command. Below mentioned is syntax, options to execute commands and example for the command:

Syntax:

cp [OPTION]... SOURCE DEST
cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
cp [OPTION]... --target-directory=DIRECTORY SOURCE...

Options:
-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
--no-dereference never follow symbolic links
-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 same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps
--preserve[=ATTR_LIST] preserve the specified attributes (default: mode,ownership,timestamps), if possible additional attributes: links,
all
--no-preserve=ATTR_LIST don't preserve the specified attributes
--parents append source path to DIRECTORY
-P same as '--no-dereference'
-R, -r, --recursive copy directories recursively
--remove-destination remove each existing destination file before attempting to open it (contrast with --force)
--reply={yes,no,query} specify how to handle the prompt about an existing destination file
--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
--target-directory=DIRECTORY move all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY
-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

Examples:

cp shane.html shane

It will copy shane.html in the current directory to the shane directory.

cp /home/public_html/shane.html /home/public_html/backup/shane_bak.html

It will copy the shane.html file in the public_html directory into the public_html/backup directory as shane_bak.html. The files are identical however but they have different names.

cp *.txt text

It will copy all files ending in .txt into the text directory.

Thanks,

Shane G.
AccuWebHosting.Com