Copying Files (cp)

The cp command copies files and directories. It's one of the most essential file operations.

Basic Usage

cp source destination

Copying Files

Copy to Same Directory (different name)

cp file.txt file_backup.txt

Copy to Different Directory

cp file.txt /path/to/destination/
cp file.txt /path/to/destination/newname.txt

cp Options

Option	Description
-r	Recursive (for directories)
-i	Interactive (prompt before overwrite)
-v	Verbose (show files being copied)
-p	Preserve permissions and timestamps
-n	Don't overwrite existing files

Copying Directories

Use -r (recursive) for directories:

cp -r source_dir destination_dir

Exercise: Copy a File

Copy the notes.txt file from documents to a new file called notes_copy.txt:

Copying Multiple Files

Copy multiple files to a directory:

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

Or use wildcards:

cp *.txt backup/           # All .txt files
cp documents/*.pdf archive/  # All PDFs from documents

Interactive Mode

Prevent accidental overwrites:

cp -i source.txt existing.txt
# Prompts: overwrite 'existing.txt'?

Preserve Attributes

Keep original permissions and timestamps:

cp -p original.txt copy.txt

Common Patterns

Backup a File

cp config.txt config.txt.bak
cp -p important.txt important.txt.backup

Copy Directory Contents

cp -r project/* backup/    # Copy contents only
cp -r project backup/      # Copy directory itself

Troubleshooting

Error	Cause	Solution
omitting directory	Copying dir without -r	Use cp -r
cannot stat	Source doesn't exist	Check the path
Permission denied	No read/write access	Check permissions

Key Takeaways

• cp source destination copies files
• Use -r to copy directories recursively
• Use -i to prompt before overwriting
• Use wildcards to copy multiple files
• Always verify paths before copying