INSTALL

install − copy files and set attributes

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

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 each pair of source and destination files, and in some cases, 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, then copy SOURCE to DEST

−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 directory as it is created

−P, −−preserve−context (SELinux) preserve security context

−Z, −−context=CONTEXT

(SELinux) set security context of files and directories

−−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

Written by David MacKenzie.

Report install bugs to bug−coreutils@gnu.org
GNU coreutils home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
Report install translation bugs to <http://translationproject.org/team/>

Copyright © 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://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.

The full documentation for install is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and install programs are properly installed at your site, the command

info coreutils 'install invocation'

should give you access to the complete manual.