How to copy file or directory in linux (cp)

In Linux, cp is a command-line utility used to copy files and directories from one location to another. Here is a table of common options for the cp command in Linux:

OptionDescription

-r	Copy directories and their contents recursively
-v	Output the names of the files being copied
-i	Prompt for confirmation before overwriting existing files
-u	Copy only newer files or files that do not exist in the destination directory

And here are some simple examples of how to use the cp command:

• To copy a file to a new location, use the following command:

cp /path/to/source /path/to/destination

• To copy multiple files to a new location, specify the file names as arguments to the cp command:

cp file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt /path/to/destination

• To copy a directory and its contents recursively to a new location, use the following command:

cp -r /path/to/source /path/to/destination

• To output the names of the files being copied, use the following command:

cp -v /path/to/source /path/to/destination

• To prompt for confirmation before overwriting existing files in the destination directory, use the following command:

cp -i /path/to/source /path/to/destination

• To copy only newer files or files that do not exist in the destination directory, use the following command:

cp -u /path/to/source /path/to/destination