install

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]

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 each pair of source and destination files, and in some cases, 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

-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 directory as it is created

--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

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

Copyright © 2021 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.

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

Written by David MacKenzie.