To omit files from being copied, check out our guide on how to exclude files and directories in data transfer using rsync command. Omitting the slash on the source directory will copy the contents into a subdirectory.

This copies the contents of the /etc/docker/ directory to /home/backup/docker/. To copy a directory with rsync, enter the following: rsync –a /etc/docker/ /home/backup/docker/ Using my_file_backup.txt as the target indicates the file will be renamed during the copy.Replace /new_directory/ with the destination.Replace the my_file.txt file in the working directory.The –a option means all, and is included with rsync commands – this preserves subdirectories, symbolic links, and other metadata.To copy a single file, enter the following into a terminal: rsync –a my_file.txt /new_directory/my_file_backup.txt Usage is similar to cp, but there are a few key differences to note. The rsync command in Linux is used to synchronize or transfer data between two locations. –R stands for recursive, which means “everything in that location.” This would copy all the files, as well as all the directories, to the / new_directory folder.

–u update: copy only if source is newer than destination.–R recursive: copies all files and subfolders in a directory.–i interactive: prompts for confirmation, highly advised.–f force: force the copy by deleting an existing file first.–p preserve: keeps the same attributes, like creation date and file permissions.–v verbose: shows the progress of multiple copied files.Additional OptionsĪdditional options can be used in combination with the cp command: You may not get a warning before Linux overwrites your file – be careful, or see below for the –ioption. Some users will add _old, some will add a number, and some will even change the three-letter extension (e.g. You’ll need to change the name of the target file to copy in the same location. However, the same file cannot exist twice in the same directory. This Linux command creates a copy of the my_file.txt file and renames the new file to my_file2.txt.īy default, the cpcommand runs in the same directory you are working in. The basic format of the command is: cp source_file target_file Virtually all Linux distributions can use cp. The cp command is the primary method for copying files and directories in Linux.

Using the cp Command to Copy Files and Directories in Linux If your version of Linux boots to a desktop graphical interface, launch a terminal window by pressing CTRL-ALT-F2 or CTRL-ALT-T. Note: These Linux commands can only be run from a terminal window.

Windows terminal commands copy cp