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
              (deprecated) 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,none-fail,older(default)}.

       -u     equivalent to --update[=older].  See below

       -v, --verbose
              explain what is being done

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

       -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.

       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  ©  2024  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'