rcp - macOS
Overview
rcp (remote copy) is a command-line utility for copying files between local and remote hosts. It supports both file transfer and directory recursion, making it effective for synchronization and backup tasks.
Syntax
rcp [options] source-path destination-path
Options/Flags
-r
- Recursively copy directories and their contents.
-p
- Preserve file attributes (permission, ownership, modification time).
-v
- Operate in verbose mode, displaying progress and detailed information.
-P
- Do not follow symbolic links (default behavior).
-E
- Preserve symbolic links, copying them as symbolic links.
-H
- Preserve hard links (default behavior).
-L
- Preserve soft links, copying them as soft links.
-n
- Do not overwrite existing files.
-a
- Implies -rlptvAH.
-t
- Copy only modification times.
Examples
Basic file transfer:
rcp ~/Documents/file.txt user@remote-host:/tmp/
Recursively copy directory:
rcp -r ~/Projects/ my-project/ user@remote-host:~/
Preserve attributes and follow symbolic links:
rcp -pvH ~/Documents/file.txt user@remote-host:/tmp/
Copy only modification times:
rcp -t ~/Documents/file.txt user@remote-host:/tmp/
Common Issues
- Permission errors: Ensure you have sufficient permissions to access both the source and destination files/directories.
- Connection issues: Verify network connectivity and the remote host’s SSH/FTP settings.
- Destination file already exists: Use the -n option to prevent overwriting existing files.
Integration
rcp can be used with the following commands for advanced tasks:
- rsync: Use rcp as a remote shell command for rsync, enabling efficient and incremental file transfers.
- ssh: Integrate with SSH for secure file transfer over encrypted connections.
- ftp: Utilize FTP for transferring files to/from remote FTP servers.
Related Commands
- rsync: Advanced file transfer tool with features like incremental updates and bandwidth control.
- scp: Secure file transfer utility that operates over SSH connections.
- ftp: Command-line tool for transferring files via the File Transfer Protocol (FTP).