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
              do not overwrite an existing file and do not fail (overrides a -u  or  previous  -i
              option). See also --update; equivalent to --update=none.

       -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,older(default)}.   See
              below

       -u     equivalent to --update[=older]

       -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 similar to the --no-clobber option, in
       that no files in the destination are replaced, but also skipped  files  do  not  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 © 2023 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'