cp

cp is a UNIX command for copying files and directories. The command has three principal modes of operation, expressed by the types of arguments presented to the program for copying a file to another file, one or more files to a directory, or for copying entire directories to another directory.

• GNU Coreutils Project Homepage [EN]

• GNU Coreutils [EN] @ Fedora Package
• GNU Coreutils [EN] @ Homebrew Formula

• cp [EN] @ Wikipedia
• cp [DE] @ Wikipedia

Documentation

• cp [EN] @ GNU Coreutils Manual

• man 1 'cp'
  • BSD [EN]
  • GNU [EN]

Syntax

cp [PARAMETER ...] SRC DST
cp [PARAMETER ...] SRC [...] DIR

Parameters

-f, --force

If an existing destination file cannot be opened, remove it and try again.

-l, --link

Link files instead of copying.

-P, --no-dereference

Never follow symbolic links.

-r, -R, --recursive

Copy directories recursively.

-t DIRECTORY, --target-directory=DIRECTORY

Copy all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY.

-s, --symbolic-link

Make symbolic links instead of copying.

-u, --update

Copy only when the source file is newer than the destination file or when the destination file is missing.