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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

     --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) silently skip existing files.	See also --update

     -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;    UP-
	    DATE={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  secu-
	    rity 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  se-
     lected  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.

     By default or with --reflink=auto, cp will try a  lightweight  copy,  where
     the  data	blocks are copied only when modified, falling back to a standard
     copy if this is not possible.  With --reflink[=always] cp will fail if  CoW
     is  not  supported,  while  --reflink=never ensures a standard copy is per-
     formed.

     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 TorbjA<paragraph>rn Granlund, David MacKenzie, and Jim Meyering.

REPORTING BUGS
     Report bugs to: bug-coreutils@gnu.org
     GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
     General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
     Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>

COPYRIGHT
     Copyright	(C) 2025 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'

GNU coreutils 9.9		  November 2025 			   CP(1)
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