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, --dereference
    always follow symbolic links in SOURCE

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

--keep-directory-symlink
    follow existing symlinks to directories

-l, --link
    hard link files instead of copying

-n, --no-clobber
    (deprecated) silently skip existing files. See also --update

-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

-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.

By default or with --reflink=auto, cp will try a lightweight copy, where the data blocks are copied only when modified, falling back to a standard copy if this is not possible. With --reflink[=always] cp will fail if CoW is not supported, while --reflink=never ensures 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
Report bugs to: bug-coreutils@gnu.org
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>

COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2026 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'