How can I copy the contents of a folder to another folder in a different directory using terminal?

command-line cp

3,424,452

Solution 1

You can copy the content of a folder /source to another existing folder /dest with the command

cp -a /source/. /dest/

The -a option is an improved recursive option, that preserve all file attributes, and also preserve symlinks.

The . at end of the source path is a specific cp syntax that allow to copy all files and folders, included hidden ones.

Solution 2

An alternate is rsync:

rsync -a source/ destination

The advantages of rsync are:

After the initial sync, it will then copy only the files that have changed.
You can use it over a network, convenient for files in $HOME, especially config files.

Solution 3

Lets say you have a folder called folder1 in your ~, inside folder1 is 1 file called file1 and 2 folders called sub1 and sub2 each with other files and folders inside them.

To copy all the contents of ~/folder1 to ~/new_folder1 you would use

cp -r ~/folder1/. ~/new_folder1

new_folder1 would then contain all the files and folders from folder1.

cp is the command to copy using a terminal, -r makes it recursively (so, current directory + further directories inside current) ~/folder1 is the origin folder, ~/new_folder1 is the destination folder for the files/folders inside the origin.

Solution 4

Simple example.

Copy the directory dir_1 and its contents (files) into directory dir_2:

cp -r ./dir_1 ./dir_2
# or
cp -r ./dir_1/ ./dir_2/
# Results in: ./dir_2/dir_1/_files_

Copy only the contents (files) of dir_1 into directory dir_2:

cp -r ./dir_1/. ./dir_2
# or
cp -r ./dir_1/. ./dir_2/
# Results in: ./dir_2/_files_

_files_ is a placeholder for the actual files located in the directory.

Solution 5

Check this http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/copy-folder-linux-command-line/ for more information on copying folder. Hope this helps.

cp Command

cp is a Linux command for copying files and directories. The syntax is as follows:

cp source destination
cp dir1 dir2
cp -option  source destination
cp -option1 -option2  source destination

In this example copy /home/vivek/letters folder and all its files to /usb/backup directory:

cp -avr /home/vivek/letters /usb/backup

Where,

-a : Preserve the specified attributes such as directory an file mode, ownership, timestamps, if possible additional attributes: context, links, xattr, all.

-v : Explain what is being done.

-r : Copy directories recursively. Example

Copy a folder called /tmp/conf to /tmp/backup:

$ cp -avr /tmp/conf/ /tmp/backup

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3,424,452

pandisvezia

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

pandisvezia almost 2 years

I am trying to copy the contents of a folder to another folder in a different directory using terminal.

Would somebody be able to provide me an example of the command line syntax required to achieve this?
irumata over 12 years

it does not catch hidden files
pandisvezia over 12 years

Thank you Bruno! It helped me to understand the syntax, though I had to change it a bit(removing ~ sign). Maybe because the destination folder was in /opt, which resides in another file system. And thank you Portablejim to remember the hidden file thing!
enzotib over 10 years

@Funzies: probably your command should be: cp -a ~/Downloads/textext/. ~/.config/inkscape/extensions/
Dylan Valade over 9 years

Add -p flag as to preserve the file permissions and timestamps. cp -ap /var/www/original.com/images/. /var/www/new.com/images/
enzotib over 9 years

@DylanValade: -a already implies --preserve=all, that is wider than -p = --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps.
wisbucky over 9 years

The trailing period is important. Without it, sometimes it may create a new subdirectory ~/new_folder1/folder1 instead of copying the contents over.
AStopher over 9 years

This isn't what the question asks.
Benny Neugebauer almost 9 years

Note: If you directory name contains spaces, then you need to quote the arguments like cp -a /media/ubuntu/Volume/. '/media/ubuntu/My Passport/'. And if you want to encrypt your files, then you can use the scp (Secure Copy) command.
enzotib almost 9 years

@BennyNeugebauer: scp is used to copy over a network (through ssh) and only encrypts the communication channel, not the files on the destination filesystem.
Joschua over 8 years

I think you don't need the asterisk. rsync -r source/ destination should be enough, no?
enzotib about 8 years

@PawelCioch: cp -r is recursive copy, -a add some other option, like --preserve=all
AntK about 8 years

I'd suggest prepending the folder paths in the answer with . so the command will work in the local directory, just not to confuse the begginers
Shridutt Kothari almost 8 years

This one is more appropriate: 'rsync -rtvp source/* destination'
Nam G VU almost 8 years

-r not works for hidden files/folders
sauerburger over 7 years

This will not copy hidden files, since bash expands * only to non-hidden file. The solution by @Joschua is safer.
Panther over 7 years

rsync will copy the entire directory, including hidden files, if you use the trailing / without a * so rync source/ dest Obviously people will need to customize the rsync command to function as they wish.
Muhammad Ali over 7 years

Such a great answer! The -a option even set up git in my destination directory.
user1271772 about 7 years

What I like about -a is that it preserves symlinks. What I don't like is that it copies recursively (including the sub-folders, which is not what cp usually does). How can I preserve symlinks without copying sub-folders recursively?
enzotib about 7 years

@user1271772: to preserve symlinks without recursing directories you need cp -d, you may also add --preserve=all
Katu almost 7 years

I rather the verbose and all option: rsync -av source/ destination
Alex Varga almost 7 years

You can use the --delete flag to delete files from destination that aren't in source
cristoper over 6 years

(Using -r with -a is redundant; on gnu cp -a is the same as "-dr --preserve=all")
emagar about 6 years

The mv command does not list the -a flag. Could the cp move files instead of copying them with another flag?
Alex78191 almost 6 years

Why not cp -r ~/folder1/* ~/new_folder1
Bruno Pereira almost 6 years

@Alex78191 [root@ home]# mkdir food [root@ home]# cd food/ [root@ food]# mkdir .fruit [root@ food]# mkdir veggies [root@ food]# touch veggies/carrots [root@ food]# touch .fruit/apple [root@ food]# ls * carrots [root@ food]#
Mark Deven almost 6 years

Is the rsync command faster than CP? IT is doing like one 10 KB text file per 10 seconds.
Panther almost 6 years

I dont know , but it will only transfer new or changed files so will be simple to script
Matthew Lock over 5 years

If it's a big folder you may wish to use one of these options to view progress while it's copying askubuntu.com/questions/609303/…
IgorGanapolsky over 5 years

cp: the -R and -r options may not be specified together.
HeggyHere over 5 years

@Alex78191 Why do we use * vs . ? > cp -a /source/. /dest/ vs. > cp -r ~/source/* ~/dest/
Alex78191 over 5 years

@HeggyHere why?
Felipe Alvarez about 5 years

One cannot always presume rsync is installed, so it is important to know how to achieve similar with GNU cp. Thanks.
Bruno Pereira almost 5 years

"The . at end of the source path is a specific cp syntax that allow to copy all files and folders, included hidden ones.", this is not related to cp, but related to bash. The dot means "this location" and avoids the use of bash globbing, where by default files/directories starting with a . are not expanded.
enzotib almost 5 years

@BrunoPereira: my sentence is wrong, but I think bash has nothing to do with this. It is UNIX that indicates the current directory with a dot, and cp, when given two directories path/foo and bar as arguments and a recursive option, like -a, creates a new directory foo under bar and copies all files contained in path/foo under bar/foo. If bar/foo already exists, the creation step is skipped. This is what happens here, given that dest/. already exists.
unbreak over 4 years

What if in source directory i will remove something after init sync, and run again sync? It will be removed also in destination, or only new things will be copied?
Ali over 3 years

I would suggest yes | cp -a /source/. /dest/ to accept the replacing
c z over 3 years

The OP asks "copy the contents of a folder to another folder". Removing the asterisk means we now copy the folder itself, which isn't the right answer when we wish to retain the target (e.g. because it's a drive or has existing content).
flow2k over 3 years

@enzotib Following up on Bruno Pereira's thread, could you edit your answer to remove the part about "specific cp syntax"? I think it's a bit misleading. Otherwise, it's a great answer.
CpILL over 3 years

this gives me /dest/source/ i just want the contents of /source/ not the folder itself :(
CpILL over 3 years

I'm still getting ~/folder1/new_folder1/, period doesn't seem to have an effect? Which version of bash does this work for?
intagli over 3 years

I think it should be noted that if the destination folder already exists, it and its contents might be overwritten by cp. (unix.stackexchange.com/questions/275969/…)
Artur Meinild almost 3 years

This isn't a good answer, since the asterisk wildcard only matches alphanumeric characters. So this answer would only match files starting with an alphanumeric, so hidden files (starting with . would be excluded).
bac0n almost 3 years

better using cp -T folder1 folder2 it may also be wise to append -n or -b
Indacochea Wachín over 2 years

I want to copy a fonts files from a source software to .fonts in home, and for my working: cp -a fonts/. ~/.fonts/Shutter-Encoder
Elysiumplain about 2 years

Can someone explain the need behind use of mypath/. instead of the existing bash wildcard expansion character, mypath/*?
enzotib about 2 years

@Elysiumplain: you missed the "included hidden files" part