Bash File Copying Commands

Introduction

• Bash can execute similar file copying commands as in Windows.
• Useful for transferring files from one directory to another, like from a working directory to the desktop.

Copying Files

• Basic Command: Use the cp command in bash for copying files, similar to Windows.
• Example: To copy myverycoolfile.txt to the desktop, use: cp myverycoolfile.txt ~/Desktop

Using Wildcards

• Asterisk Wildcard: Use * to select files with specific patterns.
• Example: To copy all .png files to the desktop: cp *.png ~/Desktop
• Applicable for files like pizza.png, soda.png, cake.png.

Copying Directories

• Recursive Copy: Required to copy entire directories with contents.
• Flag: Use -R with cp to copy directories.
• Example: To copy a directory named cat_pictures to the desktop: cp -R cat_pictures ~/Desktop

Summary

• Bash supports file and directory copying similar to Windows with the cp command.
• Wildcards and recursive options are available for flexible file management.
• This makes bash a versatile tool for handling file operations across different environments.