install

Copy files to the destination

$ install [path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ...] [path/to/destination]

$ install [[-o|--owner]] [user] [path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ...] [path/to/destination]

$ install [[-g|--group]] [user] [path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ...] [path/to/destination]

$ install [[-m|--mode]] [+x] [path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ...] [path/to/destination]

$ install [[-p|--preserve-timestamps]] [path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ...] [path/to/destination]

$ install -D [path/to/source_file1 path/to/source_file2 ...] [path/to/destination]

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

-b, --backup[=METHOD]
    back up existing destination files (METHOD: none, number, existing, numbered)

-c
    ignored (deprecated)

-d, --directory
    treat args as directories; create all components

-D
    create all leading components of DEST except last, then copy SOURCE to DEST

-g, --group=GROUP
    set group (numeric or name)

-m, --mode=MODE
    set permission mode (octal like 0755)

-o, --owner=OWNER
    set owner (numeric or name)

-p, --preserve-timestamps
    preserve modification times

-s, --strip
    strip symbols with 'strip' command

-S, --suffix=SUFFIX
    custom backup suffix

-t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY
    copy all SOURCEs into DIRECTORY

-T, --no-target-directory
    treat DEST as normal file

-v, --verbose
    print actions

--context=CTX
    set SELinux security context

--preserve-context
    preserve SELinux context

--help
    display usage

--version
    output version info

The install command is a powerful utility for copying files and directories to their destination locations, particularly during software installation from build systems like Makefiles. It extends basic copying (cp) by automatically setting file ownership, group, mode (permissions), and timestamps, while optionally stripping debugging symbols from binaries. install supports installing single files, multiple files into a directory, or creating directories with -d. It creates parent directories if needed with -D and can backup existing files to avoid data loss.

Ideal for deployment scripts, it ensures installed files have production-ready attributes without extra chmod, chown, or strip commands. Verbose mode aids debugging, and options like --preserve-timestamps maintain build times. On systems with SELinux, context handling is supported. While safe for most uses, it overwrites destinations by default (unless backed up), making it unsuitable as a general copier. Part of GNU coreutils, it's POSIX-compliant with GNU extensions for advanced features.

Overwrites destinations by default unless --backup used; requires privileges for ownership changes; -c deprecated and ignored; not for package management.

install -m 755 -o root -g root foo /usr/local/bin/
Copies 'foo' to /usr/local/bin/foo as executable owned by root.

0: success
1: general error (permissions, missing files)
2: misuse of options

Originated in AT&T Version 7 Unix (1979); GNU version in coreutils package since early 1990s, with ongoing enhancements for security contexts and atomic installs.

cp(1), mv(1), chmod(1), chown(1), mkdir(1), strip(1)