Command Line · Lesson 10

cp (Copy)

Learn how to copy files and directory trees while controlling overwrites and preserved attributes.

The cp command copies files and directories while leaving the source in place. Its basic syntax is:

cp [OPTIONS] SOURCE DESTINATION

You can copy one file to another path, copy several files into a directory, or recursively copy a directory tree.

Copying One File

Place the source first and the destination second:

$ cp mycoolfile /home/pete/Documents/cooldocs

If /home/pete/Documents/cooldocs is an existing directory, the copy is created inside it as mycoolfile. You can instead provide a new destination filename:

$ cp mycoolfile /home/pete/Documents/mycoolfile_backup

In the second example, the copied data receives the name mycoolfile_backup.

Which command copies draft.txt to a file named final.txt while keeping draft.txt?

Copying Multiple Files into a Directory

List every source first and put the destination directory last:

$ cp report.txt notes.txt summary.txt /home/pete/Documents/

The final argument must be a directory when you provide more than one source.

Which command copies a.txt and b.txt into the existing archive/ directory?

Selecting Files with Wildcards

The shell can expand wildcard patterns into several source pathnames:

*: Matches any sequence of characters.
?: Matches any single character.
[]: Matches any one of the characters enclosed in the brackets.

For example, copy names ending in .jpg from the current directory to Pictures:

$ cp *.jpg /home/pete/Pictures

Preview the matches before a bulk copy, especially when the destination contains important data:

$ ls *.jpg
beach.jpg  lunch.jpg  profile.jpg
$ cp *.jpg /home/pete/Pictures

Before copying *.jpg, which command shows the non-hidden names that the pattern currently matches?

Copying Directory Trees

Copying a directory and everything below it requires recursive operation. Use -r or -R:

$ cp -r Pumpkin/ /home/pete/Documents

This copies the Pumpkin directory and its descendants into Documents.

Uppercase -R also requests recursive copying:

$ cp -R website /home/pete/backups/

Archive mode, -a, is useful for backup-style copies. It copies recursively while preserving links and many file attributes:

$ cp -a project/ project-backup/

You want a recursive backup-style copy of project/ that preserves links and many attributes. Which command fits that goal?

Controlling Overwrites

By default, cp can replace an existing destination file. Use -i to request confirmation before an overwrite:

$ cp -i mycoolfile /home/pete/Pictures
cp: overwrite '/home/pete/Pictures/mycoolfile'? n

Use -n when an existing destination should not be overwritten:

$ cp -n mycoolfile /home/pete/Pictures

The -f option tells GNU cp to try removing an existing destination if it cannot open that file for writing, then retry the copy. It is not a substitute for checking targets carefully. Shell aliases can also add options such as -i, so inspect an unexpected prompt rather than assuming a particular configuration.

Which command copies report.txt into backup/ but skips an existing destination of the same name?

Preserving or Refreshing Files

Use -p to preserve the source file's mode, ownership when permitted, and timestamps:

$ cp -p mycoolfile /home/pete/backups/

Use -u to copy a source only when the destination is missing or the source is newer:

$ cp -u *.txt /home/pete/Documents/

Other common options include:

-f: Force overwriting by removing the destination first if needed.
-v: Show each file as it is copied.

To practice copying files and directory trees, try these hands-on labs:

Linux cp Command: File Copying - Practice basic usage, advanced options like recursive copying, preserving attributes, and using wildcards to efficiently copy files and directories.
Organizing Files and Directories - Practice essential Linux file management skills by using cp, mv, and rm commands to organize a project structure, move files, and clean up unnecessary directories.

Lesson complete

You finished cp (Copy)

You can now copy files and directory trees while controlling how destinations are handled.

Place source operands before the destination.
Preview wildcard matches before a bulk copy.
Copy directory trees recursively or in archive mode.
Confirm, skip, or deliberately replace existing destinations.
Preserve attributes or copy only newer sources when needed.

Keep your learning progress

Create a free account to save this lesson and continue learning on any device.

Create a free account

Next Lesson

Back to Command Line