mv

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]

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

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

GNU coreutils online help: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
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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.

rename(2) Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/mv> or available locally via: info '(coreutils) mv invocation'

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