Copying and moving files

cp copies files and directories. mv moves a path, and is also how files and directories are renamed.

cp source.txt copy.txtcp source.txt /path/to/directory/cp -r source-directory/ destination/cp -a source/ backup/cp -i source.txt destination.txtmv old.txt new.txtmv file.txt /path/to/directory/mv -i source destination

For cp, -r recursively copies a directory. -a is archive mode, preserving attributes such as permissions, timestamps and symbolic links while copying recursively. -i asks before overwriting an existing destination. -n avoids overwriting existing files.

For mv, moving within the same filesystem normally changes directory metadata rather than copying the file contents. Across filesystems it must copy the data and remove the source. -i asks before overwriting and -n prevents overwrites.