Linux - cp command in linux

What Is cp?

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

Basic Syntax

cp [options] source destination

• source: The file or directory you want to copy
• destination: The target location or filename

Examples

Copy a file

cp file1.txt file2.txt

This copies the contents of file1.txt into a new file called file2.txt.

Copy a file into a directory

cp file1.txt /home/user/documents/

Copies file1.txt into the documents directory.

Copy multiple files

cp file1.txt file2.txt /home/user/documents/

Copies both files into the specified directory.

Copy a directory recursively

cp -r myfolder /home/user/backup/

Copies the entire myfolder and its contents into the backup directory.

Common Options

Tip

Use cp -iv for a safer copy operation that shows what’s happening and asks before overwriting.

Would you like to see how to use wildcards with cp, like copying all .txt files at once?