# cp
## Command Function
This command is used to create a copy for a file.
## Syntax
cp \[_SOURCEFILE_\] \[_DESTFILE_\]
## Parameters
**Table 1** Parameter description
Parameter
Description
Value Range
--help
Displays help information.
N/A
SOURCEFILE
Specifies the path of the source file.
This command does not support copy of a directory, but supports copy of multiple files at a time.
DESTFILE
Specifies the destination file path.
Both a directory and a file are supported.
## Usage
- The name of the source file cannot be the same as that of the destination file in the same path.
- **SOURCEFILE** must exist and cannot be a directory.
- **SOURCEFILE** supports wildcard characters \* and ?. The asterisk \(\*\) indicates any number of characters, and the question mark \(?\) represents a single character. **DESTFILE** does not support wildcard characters. If **SOURCEFILE** specifies multiple files, **DESTFILE** must be a directory.
- If **DESTFILE** specifies a directory, this directory must exist. In this case, the destination file is named after the source file.
- If **DESTFILE** specifies a file, the directory for this file must exist. In this case, the file copy is renamed.
- If the destination file does not exist, a new file is created. If the destination file already exists, the existing file is overwritten.
> **NOTICE:**
>When important system resources are copied, unexpected results such as a system breakdown may occur. For example, when the **/dev/uartdev-1** file is copied, the system may stop responding.
## Example
Run **cp hello-OHOS.txt hello-harmony.txt ./tmp/**.
## Output
Copying **hello-OHOS.txt** and **hello-harmony.txt** to **/tmp/**:
```
OHOS:/$ ls
bin hello-OHOS.txt proc system vendor
dev hello-harmony.txt sdcard userdata
etc lib storage usr
OHOS:/$ mkdir tmp
OHOS:/$ cp hello-OHOS.txt hello-harmony.txt tmp/
OHOS:/$ ll tmp
total 0
-rwxrwxrwx 1 0 0 0 1979-12-31 00:00 hello-OHOS.txt*
-rwxrwxrwx 1 0 0 0 1979-12-31 00:00 hello-harmony.txt*
```