Table of Contents
cp - copy files and directories
cp [OPTION]... SOURCE DEST
cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
Copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple
SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.
- -a, --archive
- same as -dpR
- -b, --backup
- make backup before
removal
- -d, --no-dereference
- preserve links
- -f, --force
- remove existing destinations,
never prompt
- -i, --interactive
- prompt before overwrite
- -l, --link
- link files
instead of copying
- -p, --preserve
- preserve file attributes if possible
- -P,
--parents
- append source path to DIRECTORY
- -r
- copy recursively, non-directories
as files
- --sparse=WHEN
- control creation of sparse files
- -R, --recursive
- copy
directories recursively
- -s, --symbolic-link
- make symbolic links instead of
copying
- -S, --suffix=SUFFIX
- override the usual backup suffix
- -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
- -V, --version-control=WORD
- override the usual version control
- -x, --one-file-system
- stay on this file system
- --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.
The backup suffix
is ~, unless set with SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX. The version control may be
set with VERSION_CONTROL, values are:
- t, numbered
- make numbered backups
- nil, existing
- numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
- never,
simple
- 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.
Report bugs
to <bug-fileutils@gnu.org>.
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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