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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
       -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,time-
              stamps), if  possible  additional  attributes:  context,  links,
              xattr, all
       -c     deprecated, same as --preserve=context
       --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 behav-
       ior 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 stan-
       dard copy.
       The  backup  suffix  is  '~',  unless  set  with   --suffix   or   SIM-
       PLE_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.
       GNU  coreutils  online  help:  <http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>;
       Report cp translation bugs to <http://translationproject.org/team/>;
AUTHOR
       Written by Torbjorn Granlund, David MacKenzie, and Jim Meyering.
COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (C) 2013 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
       The full documentation for cp is maintained as a  Texinfo  manual.   If
       the  info and cp programs are properly installed at your site, the com-
       mand
              info coreutils 'cp invocation'
       should give you access to the complete manual.

GNU coreutils 8.22               November 2020                           CP(1)