cp copies files and directories. It duplicates content from one location to another.

Basic Usage

cp source destination

Copy a File

cp file.txt backup.txt

Creates a copy named backup.txt.

Copy to a Directory

cp file.txt ~/Documents/

Copies file.txt into the Documents folder.

Copy Multiple Files

cp file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt ~/Documents/

All three files go into Documents.

Or use wildcards:

cp *.txt ~/Documents/

Copies all .txt files.

Copy and Rename

cp original.txt ~/Documents/newname.txt

Copies and renames in one command.

Copy Directories (-r)

Directories require the -r (recursive) flag:

cp -r folder/ ~/backup/

Without -r, you get an error:

cp: folder is a directory (not copied)

Common Options

Safe Copying (-i)

Ask before overwriting:

cp -i file.txt ~/Documents/

If a file exists there:

overwrite /Users/john/Documents/file.txt? (y/n)

Prevent Overwriting (-n)

cp -n file.txt ~/Documents/

Silently skips if the destination exists.

Verbose Mode (-v)

cp -v file.txt ~/Documents/

Shows what's happening:

file.txt -> /Users/john/Documents/file.txt

Preserve Metadata (-p)

cp -p file.txt backup.txt

Keeps original:

• Modification time
• Access time
• Permissions
• Ownership (if you're root)

Combine Options

cp -rvi folder/ ~/backup/

Recursive + verbose + interactive.

Copy Everything in a Directory

cp -r folder/* ~/destination/

Copies contents, not the folder itself.

vs:

cp -r folder ~/destination/

Copies the folder including the folder.

Practical Examples

Backup a config file before editing:

cp ~/.zshrc ~/.zshrc.backup

Copy project to new location:

cp -r ~/Projects/app ~/Projects/app-v2

Copy only certain file types:

cp *.jpg ~/Pictures/
cp *.{jpg,png,gif} ~/Pictures/

Copy with timestamp in filename:

cp database.db "database-\$(date +%Y%m%d).db"

Copying to Remote Servers

For remote copying, use scp (secure copy):

scp file.txt user@server:/path/
scp -r folder/ user@server:/path/

Common Errors

"No such file or directory":

• Source file doesn't exist
• Destination path doesn't exist

"Is a directory":

• Trying to copy a directory without -r

"Permission denied":

• You don't have read access to source
• You don't have write access to destination

cp vs mv

Use cp when you want to keep the original.

Quick Reference

Keep Learning

File operations are essential Terminal skills. The free course covers copying, moving, and more.

Check it out at Mac Terminal for Humans.