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INSTALL

Section: User Commands (1)
Updated: June 2025
Index Return to Main Contents
 

NAME

install - copy files and set attributes  

SYNOPSIS

install [,OPTION/]... [,-T/] ,SOURCE DEST/
install [,OPTION/]... ,SOURCE/... ,DIRECTORY/
install [,OPTION/]... ,-t DIRECTORY SOURCE/...
install [,OPTION/]... ,-d DIRECTORY/...  

DESCRIPTION

This install program copies files (often just compiled) into destination locations you choose. If you want to download and install a ready-to-use package on a GNU/Linux system, you should instead be using a package manager like yum(1) or apt-get(1).

In the first three forms, copy SOURCE to DEST or multiple SOURCE(s) to the existing DIRECTORY, while setting permission modes and owner/group. In the 4th form, create all components of the given DIRECTORY(ies).

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
-c
(ignored)
-C, --compare
compare content of source and destination files, and if no change to content, ownership, and permissions, do not modify the destination at all
-d, --directory
treat all arguments as directory names; create all components of the specified directories
-D
create all leading components of DEST except the last, or all components of --target-directory, then copy SOURCE to DEST
--debug
explain how a file is copied. Implies -v
-g, --group=,GROUP/
set group ownership, instead of process' current group
-m, --mode=,MODE/
set permission mode (as in chmod), instead of rwxr-xr-x
-o, --owner=,OWNER/
set ownership (super-user only)
-p, --preserve-timestamps
apply access/modification times of SOURCE files to corresponding destination files
-s, --strip
strip symbol tables
--strip-program=,PROGRAM/
program used to strip binaries
-S, --suffix=,SUFFIX/
override the usual backup suffix
-t, --target-directory=,DIRECTORY/
copy all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY
-T, --no-target-directory
treat DEST as a normal file
-v, --verbose
print the name of each created file or directory
--preserve-context
preserve SELinux security context
-Z
set SELinux security context of destination file and each created directory to default type
--context[=,CTX/]
like -Z, or if CTX is specified then set the SELinux or SMACK security context to CTX
--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
 

AUTHOR

Written by David MacKenzie.  

REPORTING BUGS

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

SEE ALSO

cp(1)


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


Packaged by Debian (9.7-3)
Copyright © 2025 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.

 

Index

NAME
SYNOPSIS
DESCRIPTION
AUTHOR
REPORTING BUGS
SEE ALSO
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Time: 11:48:42 GMT, September 14, 2026