Bashcp - Copy Files and Directories

Using thecp Command

Thecp 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, usecp source_file destination_file:

cp my_file.txt copy_of_my_file.txt

Options

Thecp 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.txtcp: 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

Usingcp 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/