## 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 destination 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. 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.

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 (aq(coreutils) cp invocation(aq