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Name

cp - copy files and directories

Synopsis

cp [OPTION]... SOURCE DEST
cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY

Description

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.

Reporting Bugs

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

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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