Windows
Linux
File Management
File System
Windows copy equivalent in Linux
Copies files or entire directory trees to another location.
Windows
→
copy
Linux equivalents
cp
cp
cp
Overview
What this command does
Copies files or entire directory trees to another location.
Migration tip: To copy a directory and all its contents, you must use
cp -r (recursive). Forgetting -r is one of the most common beginner mistakes.Practical tasks
Common use cases
Copy files and folders
Copies files or entire directory trees to another location.
cp -r
Copy directories recursively
cp -i
Ask before overwriting (interactive)
cp -v
Verbose — show what's being copied
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
cp file.txt backup.txt
cp file.txt /home/user/docs/
cp -r MyFolder Backup
cp -rv MyFolder /backup/
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: copy file.txt backup.txt
cp file.txt backup.txt # copy a file
cp file.txt /home/user/docs/ # copy to another directory
# Windows: xcopy /s /e MyFolder Backup
cp -r MyFolder Backup # copy an entire folder
cp -rv MyFolder /backup/ # copy folder, show progressReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
cp -r | Copy directories recursively |
cp -i | Ask before overwriting (interactive) |
cp -v | Verbose — show what's being copied |
cp -p | Preserve timestamps and permissions |
cp -u | Only copy if source is newer |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
This command is the same on Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch Linux when the relevant tool is installed.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | cp |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | cp |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | cp |
Same command on this distribution. |
Important
What to watch out for
cp will silently overwrite existing files by default. Use cp -i to be prompted before overwriting.
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