/usr/bin/cp

Usage: /usr/bin/cp [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
  or:  /usr/bin/cp [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
  or:  /usr/bin/cp [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
Copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.
  -a, --archive
         same as -dR --preserve=all
      --attributes-only
         don't copy the file data, just the attributes
      --backup[=CONTROL]
         make a backup of each existing destination file
  -b
         like --backup but does not accept an argument
      --copy-contents
         copy contents of special files when recursive
  -d
         same as --no-dereference --preserve=links
      --debug
         explain how a file is copied.  Implies -v
  -f, --force
         if an existing destination file cannot be opened, remove it and try
         again (this option is ignored when the -n option is also used)
  -i, --interactive
         prompt before overwrite (overrides a previous -n option)
  -H
         follow command-line symbolic links in SOURCE
  -L, --dereference
         always follow symbolic links in SOURCE
  -P, --no-dereference
         never follow symbolic links in SOURCE
      --keep-directory-symlink
         follow existing symlinks to directories
  -l, --link
         hard link files instead of copying
  -n, --no-clobber
         (deprecated) silently skip existing files.  See also --update
  -p
         same as --preserve=mode,ownership,timestamps
      --preserve[=ATTR_LIST]
         preserve the specified attributes
      --no-preserve=ATTR_LIST
         don't preserve the specified attributes
      --parents
         use full source file name under DIRECTORY
  -R, -r, --recursive
         copy directories recursively
      --reflink[=WHEN]
         control clone/CoW copies. See below
      --remove-destination
         remove each existing destination file before attempting to open it
         (contrast with --force)
      --sparse=WHEN
         control creation of sparse files. See below
      --strip-trailing-slashes
         remove any trailing slashes from each SOURCE argument
  -s, --symbolic-link
         make symbolic links instead of copying
  -S, --suffix=SUFFIX
         override the usual backup suffix
  -t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY
         copy all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY
  -T, --no-target-directory
         treat DEST as a normal file
      --update[=UPDATE]
         control which existing files are updated;
         UPDATE={all,none,none-fail,older(default)}
  -u
         equivalent to --update[=older].  See below
  -v, --verbose
         explain what is being done
  -x, --one-file-system
         stay on this file system
  -Z
         set SELinux security context of destination file to default type
      --context[=CTX]
         like -Z, or if CTX is specified then set the
         SELinux or SMACK security context to CTX
      --help
         display this help and exit
      --version
         output version information and exit

ATTR_LIST is a comma-separated list of attributes. Attributes are 'mode' for
permissions (including any ACL and xattr permissions), 'ownership' for user
and group, 'timestamps' for file timestamps, 'links' for hard links, 'context'
for security context, 'xattr' for extended attributes, and 'all' for all
attributes.

By default, sparse SOURCE files are detected by a crude heuristic and the
corresponding DEST file is made sparse as well.  That is the behavior
selected by --sparse=auto.  Specify --sparse=always to create a sparse DEST
file whenever the SOURCE file contains a long enough sequence of zero bytes.
Use --sparse=never to inhibit creation of sparse files.

UPDATE controls which existing files in the destination are replaced.
'all' is the default operation when an --update option is not specified,
and results in all existing files in the destination being replaced.
'none' is like the --no-clobber option, in that no files in the
destination are replaced, and skipped files do not induce a failure.
'none-fail' also ensures no files are replaced in the destination,
but any skipped files are diagnosed and induce a failure.
'older' is the default operation when --update is specified, and results
in files being replaced if they're older than the corresponding source file.

By default or with --reflink=auto, cp will try a lightweight copy, where the
data blocks are copied only when modified, falling back to a standard copy
if this is not possible.  With --reflink[=always] cp will fail if CoW is not
supported, while --reflink=never ensures a standard copy is performed.

The backup suffix is '~', unless set with --suffix or SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX.
The version control method may be selected via the --backup option or through
the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable.  Here are the values:

  none, off       never make backups (even if --backup is given)
  numbered, t     make numbered backups
  existing, nil   numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
  simple, never   always make simple backups

As a special case, cp makes a backup of SOURCE when the force and backup
options are given and SOURCE and DEST are the same name for an existing,
regular file.

Report bugs to: <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/cp>
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) cp invocation'