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

       -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
              do not overwrite an existing file (overrides a previous -i option)

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

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

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

       --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

       -u, --update
              copy only when the SOURCE file is newer than the destination file or when the  des‐
              tination file is missing

       -v, --verbose
              explain what is being done

       -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 security context to
              CTX

       --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.  Spec‐
       ify --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.

       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 standard copy.

       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
       GNU coreutils online help: <http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
       Report cp translation bugs to <http://translationproject.org/team/>

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright © 2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+:  GNU  GPL  version  3  or
       later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
       This  is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.  There is NO WARRANTY,
       to the extent permitted by law.

SEE ALSO
       Full documentation at: <http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/cp>
       or available locally via: info '(coreutils) cp invocation'



GNU coreutils 8.23                          March 2015                                      CP(1)