mv

move files

TLDR

Move a file to an arbitrary location

$ mv [source] [target]

Move files into another directory, keeping the filenames

$ mv [source1] [source2] [source3] [target_directory]

Do not prompt for confirmation before overwriting existing files

$ mv -f [source] [target]

Prompt for confirmation before overwriting existing files, regardless of file permissions

$ mv -i [source] [target]

Do not overwrite existing files at the target

$ mv -n [source] [target]

Move files in verbose mode, showing files after they are moved

$ mv -v [source] [target]

SYNOPSIS

mv [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
mv [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
mv [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...

DESCRIPTION

Rename SOURCE to DEST, or move SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.

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
-f, --force: do not prompt before overwriting
-i, --interactive: prompt before overwrite
-n, --no-clobber: do not overwrite an existing file

If you specify more than one of -i, -f, -n, only the final one takes effect.

--strip-trailing-slashes: remove any trailing slashes from each SOURCE argument
-S, --suffix=SUFFIX: override the usual backup suffix
-t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY: move all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY
-T, --no-target-directory: treat DEST as a normal file
-u, --update: move only when the SOURCE file is newer than the destination file or when the destination file is missing
-v, --verbose: explain what is being done
-Z, --context: set SELinux security context of destination file to default type
--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

REPORTING BUGS

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

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2022 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.

AUTHOR

Written by Mike Parker, David MacKenzie, and Jim Meyering.

mv