CP(1) User Commands CP(1)
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 -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
--debug
explain how a file is copied. Implies -v
-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
(deprecated) silently skip existing files. See also --update
-P, --no-dereference
never follow symbolic links in SOURCE
-p same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps
--preserve[=ATTR_LIST]
preserve the specified attributes
--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
--update[=UPDATE]
control which existing files are updated; UP-
DATE={all,none,none-fail,older(default)}
-u equivalent to --update[=older]. See below
-v, --verbose
explain what is being done
--keep-directory-symlink
follow existing symlinks to directories
-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 se-
curity context to CTX
--help display this help and exit
--version
output version information and exit
ATTR_LIST is a comma-separated list of attributes. Attributes are 'mode'
for permissions (including any ACL and xattr permissions), 'ownership'
for user and group, 'timestamps' for file timestamps, 'links' for hard
links, 'context' for security context, 'xattr' for extended attributes,
and 'all' for all attributes.
By default, sparse SOURCE files are detected by a crude heuristic and
the corresponding DEST file is made sparse as well. That is the behav-
ior selected by --sparse=auto. Specify --sparse=always to create a
sparse DEST file whenever the SOURCE file contains a long enough se-
quence of zero bytes. Use --sparse=never to inhibit creation of sparse
files.
UPDATE controls which existing files in the destination are replaced.
'all' is the default operation when an --update option is not specified,
and results in all existing files in the destination being replaced.
'none' is like the --no-clobber option, in that no files in the destina-
tion are replaced, and skipped files do not induce a failure.
'none-fail' also ensures no files are replaced in the destination, but
any skipped files are diagnosed and induce a failure. 'older' is the
default operation when --update is specified, and results in files being
replaced if they're older than the corresponding source file.
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 stan-
dard copy. Use --reflink=never to ensure a standard copy is performed.
The backup suffix is '~', unless set with --suffix or SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUF-
FIX. The version control method may be selected via the --backup option
or through the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable. Here are the val-
ues:
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
GNU coreutils online help: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>
SEE ALSO
install(1)
Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/cp>
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) cp invocation'
Packaged by Debian (9.7-3)
Copyright © 2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/li-
censes/gpl.html>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
GNU coreutils 9.7 June 2025 CP(1)
Generated by dwww version 1.16 on Fri Dec 12 08:29:29 CET 2025.