scp

Copy a local file to a remote host

$ scp [path/to/file] [user]@[host]:[path/to/destination]

$ scp [user]@[host]:[path/to/file] [path/to/destination]

$ scp -r [path/to/directory] [user]@[host]:[path/to/destination]

$ scp -P [2222] [path/to/file] [user]@[host]:[path/to/destination]

$ scp -i [~/.ssh/id_rsa] [path/to/file] [user]@[host]:[path/to/destination]

$ scp -C [path/to/file] [user]@[host]:[path/to/destination]

$ scp -p [path/to/file] [user]@[host]:[path/to/destination]

$ scp -3 [user1]@[host1]:[file] [user2]@[host2]:[destination]

scp [options] source destination
scp [options] [[user@]host:]file [[user@]host:]file

scp (secure copy) transfers files between hosts over SSH. It uses SSH for authentication and encryption, providing the same security as an SSH session. The colon (:) distinguishes remote paths from local paths.
Files can be copied from local to remote, remote to local, or between two remote hosts. When copying directories, use -r for recursive transfer. The remote path syntax is [user@]host:path, where user defaults to the current username.
Authentication uses SSH keys or passwords, configured through ssh_config or command-line options. Transfer progress is shown unless -q is specified. The command exits 0 on success or >0 on error.

-r

Recursively copy directories

Connect to specified port on remote host

Preserve modification times, access times, and modes

Enable compression

Select encryption cipher

Identity file (private key) for authentication

Limit bandwidth in Kbit/s

Pass options to ssh (ssh_config format)

Use specified ssh config file

Quiet mode; suppress progress meter and warnings

Verbose mode; show debugging messages

Batch mode; disable password prompts

Copy between remote hosts through local host

Force IPv4 only

Force IPv6 only

Use specified program for encrypted connection

scp uses an older protocol (SCP/RCP) that has security limitations. The OpenSSH project recommends sftp or rsync over SSH for new scripts. Wildcards in remote paths must be quoted to prevent local shell expansion. When copying between two remote hosts without -3, the hosts connect directly, which may fail if they cannot reach each other.

scp originated as part of the SSH protocol suite developed by Tatu Ylönen in 1995 at Helsinki University of Technology. It was designed as a secure replacement for the insecure rcp (remote copy) command. The OpenSSH project, started in 1999, provides the most widely used implementation. While still functional, scp's underlying protocol has known issues, leading to recommendations to use sftp for new deployments.

sftp(1), rsync(1), ssh(1), ssh-keygen(1)