The cp command in Linux
cp copies files and directories. Its two arguments are read as "from" then "to": cp source destination. If the destination is an existing directory, the copy is placed inside it; otherwise the destination is the name of the new copy. Copying directories requires -r.
How cp works
At its core cp is a read/write loop: open the source, read blocks, write them to a new file. Metadata is not part of that stream — permissions, timestamps and ownership live in the inode — so faithful copies require explicitly asking for them, which is what -p and -a do.
Modern filesystems complicate the story in a useful way. On btrfs, XFS and APFS, cp can request a reflink clone: a new file that shares the same data blocks copy-on-write, making the "copy" instant and nearly free until one side is modified. And sparse files (huge files that are mostly holes, like VM disk images) are detected and preserved with --sparse — naive copying would materialize gigabytes of zeros.
Syntax
cp [OPTIONS] SOURCE... DESTCommon options
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
-r | Recursive: copy directories and their contents. |
-i | Interactive: ask before overwriting an existing file. |
-n | No clobber: never overwrite an existing file. |
-p | Preserve mode, ownership and timestamps. |
-a | Archive: recursive copy preserving everything (equivalent to -rp plus links). The standard choice for backups. |
-v | Verbose: show each file as it is copied. |
How to use cp: examples
$ cp report.txt report-backup.txtCopy a file, giving the copy a new name.
$ cp report.txt documents/Copy a file into an existing directory, keeping its name.
$ cp -r website website-v2Copy an entire directory tree.
$ cp -i config.yml config.yml.bakAsk before overwriting if the destination already exists.
$ cp *.jpg ~/pictures/Copy every JPG in the current directory to another folder.
$ cp -a /var/www /backup/wwwArchive mode: an exact copy preserving permissions, timestamps and symlinks.
Real-world use cases for cp
Backing up before editing config
The professional reflex before touching any server config: cp nginx.conf nginx.conf.bak. Two seconds of insurance; if the edit breaks something, cp the backup over it and reload. Sysadmin muscle memory, and the reason .bak files litter every server on earth.
Cloning a project as a template
cp -a old-project new-project duplicates a whole tree preserving permissions and symlinks — then strip what shouldn't carry over (rm -rf new-project/.git). Archive mode (-a) is the difference between a faithful copy and one with subtly broken scripts.
Try cp yourself
This is a live sandbox with a small filesystem (documents/, notes.txt,
backup.sh…). Nothing you do here can break anything — experiment freely.
Try: cp notes.txt notes-backup.txt
Pro tips and common mistakes
- cp -a (archive) should be your default for directories: it preserves permissions, timestamps and symlinks, which plain -r does not.
- Quick versioned backup with brace expansion: cp config.yml{,.bak} expands to cp config.yml config.yml.bak.
- cp -u copies only when the source is newer than the destination — a poor man's sync for simple cases (rsync does it properly).
- Copying many files? cp shows nothing by default; add -v to watch progress, or use rsync --info=progress2 for big trees.
Frequently asked questions about cp
How do I copy a directory in Linux?
Add the -r (recursive) flag: cp -r sourcedir destdir. Without it, cp skips directories with an "omitting directory" message.
Does cp overwrite files without asking?
Yes, by default cp silently overwrites existing destination files. Use cp -i to be asked first, or cp -n to never overwrite.
What is the difference between cp -r and cp -a?
Both copy recursively, but -a (archive) also preserves permissions, ownership, timestamps and symbolic links, making it the right choice for backups and migrations.
Things people do with cp
Copy a directory and its contents with cp, including hidden files and nested folders.
Move files and directories in LinuxMove or rename files and directories with mv, including practical overwrite precautions.
Related commands
List the contents of a directory, with options for hidden files, long format, sorting and more.
mkdirCreate one or many directories, including whole nested paths with -p.
rmDelete files and directories — and understand -r, -f and why there is no trash bin.
mvMove files between directories and rename them — the same operation in Linux.