Shell command: cp

Options

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`, i. e. copy the link's target rather than the symbolic link.
`-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,timestamps`), if possible additional attributes: `context`, `links`, `xattr` and/or `all`.
	`--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.
	`--remove-destination`	Remove each existing destination file before attempting to open it (contrast with `--force`)
	`--sparse=WHEN`	Control creation of sparse files.
	`--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 default backup suffix which is a tilde (`~`)
`-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

Copy recursively

cp can be instructed to copy entire directory trees with -r.

mkdir source-dir
mkdir source-dir/sub-dir-1
mkdir source-dir/sub-dir-2
touch source-dir/file-a
touch source-dir/sub-dir-1/file-b
touch source-dir/sub-dir-2/file-c

#
#  dest-dir does not exist, it will be created.
#
cp -r source-dir dest-dir

#
#  The contents of dest-dir and source-dir
#  is identical
#
tree source-dir
tree dest-dir

rm -rf source-dir
rm -rf dest-dir

Github repository shell-commands, path: /cp/r_dest-dir-does-not-exist

Perl: See also File::Copy::Recursive.

Preserving timestamps

The copied file's timestamps can be preserved with the --preserve=timestamp option.

--sparse

By default or if --sparse=auto is used, sparse SOURCE files are detected by a crude heuristic and the corresponding DEST file is made sparse as well.

--sparse=always creates a sparse DEST file whenever the SOURCE file contains a long enough sequence of zero bytes.

--sparse=never inhibits the creation of sparse files.

--reflink

--reflink[=always] performs a lightweight copy, where the data blocks are copied only when modified (possibly not supported by the file system).

If this is not possible the copy fails

--reflink=auto tries to create a lightweight copy, but falls back to a standard copy if not possible.

--reflink=never creates a standard copy.

Setting the version control method with the --backup option or VERSION_CONTROL environment variable

The value of the --backup option or VERSION_CONTROL environment variable selects the version control method.

The value can be:

`none`, `off`	Never make backups (even if `--backup` is given)
`numbered`, `t`	Make numbered backups (`filename.~1~`, `filename.~2~` etc)
`existing`, `nil`	Numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
`simple`, `never`	Always make simple backups