install - Man Page

• Copy files to the destination: install path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ... path/to/destination
• Copy files to the destination, setting their ownership: install --owner user path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ... path/to/destination
• Copy files to the destination, setting their group ownership: install --group user path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ... path/to/destination
• Copy files to the destination, setting their mode: install --mode +x path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ... path/to/destination
• Copy files and apply access/modification times of source to the destination: install --preserve-timestamps path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ... path/to/destination
• Copy files and create the directories at the destination if they don't exist: install -D path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ... path/to/destination

tldr.sh

install [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
install [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
install [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
install [OPTION]... -d DIRECTORY...

This install program copies files (often just compiled) into destination locations you choose.  If you want to download and install a ready-to-use package on a GNU/Linux system, you should instead be using a package manager like yum(1) or apt-get(1).

In the first three forms, copy SOURCE to DEST or multiple SOURCE(s) to the existing DIRECTORY, while setting permission modes and owner/group. In the 4th form, create all components of the given DIRECTORY(ies).

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

--backup[=CONTROL]

make a backup of each existing destination file

-b

like --backup but does not accept an argument

-c

(ignored)

-C,  --compare

compare content of source and destination files, and if no change to content, ownership, and permissions, do not modify the destination at all

-d,  --directory

treat all arguments as directory names; create all components of the specified directories

-D

create all leading components of DEST except the last, or all components of --target-directory, then copy SOURCE to DEST

--debug

explain how a file is copied.  Implies -v

-g,  --group=GROUP

set group ownership, instead of process' current group

-m,  --mode=MODE

set permission mode (as in chmod), instead of rwxr-xr-x

-o,  --owner=OWNER

set ownership (super-user only)

-p,  --preserve-timestamps

apply access/modification times of SOURCE files to corresponding destination files

-s,  --strip

strip symbol tables

--strip-program=PROGRAM

program used to strip binaries

-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

-v,  --verbose

print the name of each created file or directory

--preserve-context

preserve SELinux security context

-Z

set SELinux security context of destination file and each created directory 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

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

Written by David MacKenzie.

GNU coreutils online help: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>

Copyright © 2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

cp(1)

Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/install>
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) install invocation'

bundle(1), bundle-cache(1), bundle-config(1), bundle-exec(1), bundle-update(1), bundle-viz(1), cp(1), dput(5), ebuild(5), gauche-install(1), mk-configure(7), shtool(1), shtool-install(1), star(1).