Bash cp - Copy Files and Directories

Using the cp Command

The cp command is used to copy files and directories from one location to another.

It's like making a duplicate of your file or folder.

Basic Usage

To copy a file, use cp source_file destination_file:

cp my_file.txt copy_of_my_file.txt

Options

The cp command has options to change how it works:

• -r - Copy all files and folders inside a directory
• -i - Ask before replacing files
• -u - Copy only if the source is newer
• -v - Verbose mode, show files being copied

-v Option: Verbose Mode

The -v option enables verbose mode, which displays the files being copied in the terminal.

This is useful for tracking the copy process, especially when dealing with many files.

cp -v my_file.txt copy_of_my_file.txt
'my_file.txt' -> 'copy_of_my_file.txt'

Copy Directories Recursively

The -r option lets you copy entire directories, including all files and subdirectories.

cp -r images images2

Prompt Before Overwrite

The -i option will prompt you before overwriting files, helping you avoid accidental replacements.

cp -i my_file.txt copy_of_my_file.txt
cp: overwrite 'copy_of_my_file.txt'? 

Copy Only Newer Files

The -u option copies files only if the source file is newer than the destination file.

cp -u new_file.txt existing_file.txt

Using cp with Wildcards

Wildcards allow you to copy multiple files at once. For example, cp *.txt destination/ will copy all text files to the destination folder.

cp *.txt destination/