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;
              UPDATE={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
              security 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
       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.

       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 destination 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
       standard copy.  Use --reflink=never to ensure a standard copy is
       performed.

       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: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
       Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (C) 2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+: GNU
       GPL version 3 or later <https://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
       install(1)

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

GNU coreutils 9.5                 March 2024                             CP(1)